Cities set their sights on best talent

Pressure and prospects

Zhang Xinming, 24, who is majoring in materials and chemical engineering at Tsinghua University, said that new policies introduced in Beijing are not sufficient to attract different types of talent.

"Frankly speaking, Beijing is not that great for me. I needed to buy an apartment to settle down in. In view of current housing prices, this required a lot of money. Obtaining a Beijing hukou doesn't matter that much to me," he said.

The day the new regulations were announced in Beijing, a preferential policy on renting accommodations was published. This has been viewed as a way to cut rents and ease people's financial burdens, especially those of young graduates.

Jiang Baihui, 23, who is studying for a master's in nuclear energy at Tsinghua University, said she plans to work in Beijing after graduation, and the new policy will help her cut living costs at the start of her career.

"For people planning to live in Beijing after they graduate, these policies are great news. However, the long commuting times and high housing prices in the city are a big burden for the young, and these two factors could prevent the policies having a beneficial effect," Jiang said.