IN THIS YEAR'S GOVERNMENT WORK REPORT, Premier Li Keqiang said China will implement more active, open and effective policies to attract foreign talent. The central government also introduced new measures to make it easier for foreigners to apply for permanent residency. It is high time China set up an immigration bureau, said Beijing Youth Daily on Saturday.

Foreign talent is important to help promote innovation and the setting up of new businesses. In the United States, one-third of patent holders, nearly half the founders or co-founders of its top 50 listed corporations, and nearly half the doctorate degree holders in science and engineering are immigrants.

Historically, China has benefitted from large amounts of immigrants, mainly from neighboring countries. And these immigrants played important roles in the development of China's economy and culture.

The number of foreigners living in China has grown at about 4 percent every year for more than 10 years, and about 850,000 foreigners were living in China by the end of 2013. However, if China plans to attract more foreign talent, it needs to set up an immigration bureau integrating the responsibilities that are now scattered throughout many government departments.

With such a bureau, the government would not only be able to enhance its work efficiency and provide better services to the foreigners residing in China, it would also help attract foreign talents and build an international talent database.

An immigration bureau would also help China better deal with illegal immigrants, maintain good public order, and better protect the legal interests of legal immigrants and help foster their integration into the Chinese society.