"I can go home next month," said Cao Zuonan, an ecology graduate student at Germany's University of Tuebingen, while walking out of the supervisor's office joyfully.
His graduation design program－research on the experimental methodology of the nutrient in the Chinese Qinghai-Tibet Plateau soil－has just been approved by his supervisor and he is about to return to China to collect soil samples.
Cao, born in the 1990s, spent the first 18 years of his life in Xining city of Qinghai province. He had always longed for the magnificent plateau in his hometown during his study in Germany.
He made up his mind go to Germany for further studies when he was at college and then to return to China, because it is his unshakable faith to dedicate himself to environmental protection.
"I have to be grateful! I have been thinking about how I can pay back to my parents, my fellow countrymen and the land that has brought me up since the start of my college time," said Cao passionately.
'Let's make core strategies!'
Ding Xianfeng still relishes his decision of leaving the Silicon Valley to join Huawei.
"If I did not quit the job of sensor system platform architect at Intel and returned to serve as director and chief scientist at Huawei's sensor lab, I would not become a leader in the world's sensor industry," said Ding proudly.
Huawei, one of the top three research companies for mobile application sensors, enjoys an enormous competitive edge.
"Compared to working in the United States, my influence on the development of the sensor industry in the world has grown hundreds of times ... I represent purchaser who needs sensors that worth 2 billion U.S. dollars," Ding told Xinhua.
Many returnees said they went back to China because of the "glass ceilings," meaning foreigners can never climb to the top of the ladder no matter how talented and hardworking they are.
"Only when you are back in China can you make core strategies," said Ding repeatedly.
Things are similar for Huang Xiaobo. "At that time, most of my classmates were studying abroad. But many of them are just doing trivial jobs, their talent wasted," sighed Huang.
After years of efforts, Huang has become the director of the Institute of Lithotripsy Application at Peking University and an academic leader of the Department of Urology at Peking University People's Hospital.
Huang did not regret his decision.
"Urology is one of the popular professions in the United States. It is barely possible that a Chinese can become the head of the urology department at any mainstream U.S. hospital," Huang said.
According to the Chinese Education Ministry, around 80 percent of overseas students have returned home in recent years, compared with about a third in 2006.
The Chinese governments at all levels are striving to entice students back. For instance, China is now home to over 300 industrial parks aimed at incubating startups led by returnees. Witnessing the ever-growing motherland and government incentives and business opportunities, the returnees, without much hesitation, are packing their bags for their flights home.
