Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao Tuesday welcomed foreigners with talent to start and develop their careers in China.

Wen said China will sincerely work with foreign experts to overcome the current difficulties and address the global financial crisis.

Wen made the remarks at a meeting with 19 representatives of foreign experts who have helped the reform and opening up of China for a long time.

Some of the foreign experts, including John Macdonald who works for Xinhua, made presentations to Premier Wen and other senior government officials.

Wen listened attentively to their speeches and exchanged views.

China will always adhere to the opening up policy and continue to introduce advanced foreign technology, expertise in management and talents in a bid to secure powerful intellectual resources for maintaining fast yet steady economic growth and effectively address the global financial crisis, Wen said.

He said the year 2008 was an extremely unusual year for China's development. And under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese people of all ethnic groups worked still harder in solidarity with one heart and one dream, went from victory to victory in the face of grim challenges.

These achievements in various areas are imbued with the talented foreigners wisdom, hardwork and friendship, Wen said, adding that the Chinese people will always remember and appreciate their outstanding efforts.

"China's reform, opening up and modernization drive cannot be in isolation from the world," he said.

Wen said talented foreigners coming to work in China reflects their confidence in China's future.

The Chinese government will perfect a relevant system and policies, improve management and service, so as to create a favourable working environment for foreign experts and scholars in China, Wen said.

Wen also extended festival greetings to all foreign experts and international friends working in China as well as their families. He expressed gratitude for their contributions to the country's development.

According to the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs of China, foreign talents paid about 480,000 visits to the Chinese mainland for work last year. The foreign talents made contributions to various fields of China's development such as the earthquake relief efforts in Sichuan Province.

(Xinhua News Agency January 20, 2009)