SAFEA Guide - Year 2002: Regulation No. 6,Daily Work and Rewards

VIII. ADMINISTRATION OF THE DAILY WORK OF FOREIGN EXPERTS (1) (675)

1. What formalities shall be gone through in recruiting foreign experts or foreign workers who have already worked in China?

(1) No institutions shall recruit foreign experts or foreign workers who have already worked in China and whose contract term has not expired. If, under particular situations, they are needed for part-time jobs, consent should be gained from the institutions where they are working.

(2) The former host institutions may provide reference letters for those foreign experts or foreign workers who meet employment requirements and are willing to continue to work in China. A new host institution can only employ those who hold such reference letters sealed by the department of the institution responsible for foreign experts. Reference letters shall be certified responsibly according to facts.

VIII. ADMINISTRATION ON THE DAILY WORK OF FOREIGN EXPERTS (2) (683)

2. What are the teaching schedule and work time for foreign experts?

The legal work time in China is 40 hours a week. Teaching time for each foreign expert shall be no less than 12 periods a week, subject to the categories and difficulty of the courses. Work time for practice courses of foreign language may be 16 periods. Besides teaching, foreign experts shall be responsible for such work as editing or revising of teaching materials, recording and consultation, etc.

3. What if foreign experts change class schedule without permission or ask another teacher as substitute?

According to the Supplementary Advice on Strengthening the Administration of Teaching by Foreign Teachers issued by Ministry of Education, foreign teachers shall strictly fulfill their contract duties, shall not change class schedule without permission, and in particular, shall not go out for traveling or visiting during teaching time. To ensure teaching quality, it's a general rule that foreign teachers shall not ask others as substitute for their teaching without permission. If there is a need under special circumstances, approval shall be given in advance from the dean or director of teaching office.

4. What if foreign experts ask for leave of absence or stay away from work without leave?

If foreign experts or teachers ask for leave of absence, they shall first gain approval from the host institutions and their salaries shall be deducted by day. As for those who stay away from work without leave, besides deducting their salaries by day, the host institutions may criticize them seriously, or terminate the contract if no improvement is made after repeated criticism.

5. Shall foreign experts be allowed to attend the assembly convened by embassy or consulate in teaching time?

According to the Supplementary Advice on Strengthening the Administration of Teaching by Foreign Teachers issued by Ministry of Education, if foreign embassy or consulate in China convenes teachers of their country, consent shall be first gained from department in charge of foreign affairs and that is in charge of education, otherwise no leave of absence shall be given. All expenses shall be borne by the teachers themselves who attend the assembly after approval is given.

VIII. ADMINISTRATION ON THE DAILY WORK OF FOREIGN EXPERTS (3) (691)

6. May foreign experts be appointed positions of importance?

Well trained foreign experts with administrative skills may be appointed to such important or leading positions as deal of a school, director of a research institute, chief editor or executive editor of a publishing house, and director of a training center. Foreign experts appointed with such positions shall be given title, responsibility and power.

7. May foreign experts attend or organize lectures or seminars?

Departments in charge and host institutions shall, according to actual needs, organize exchange of work experience among and between foreign experts and Chinese professionals in similar fields, and promote academic discussions between foreign and Chinese experts. Those foreign experts with great attainments may be invited to give lectures and attend academic seminars in the field. Their research papers may be published in Chinese journals and periodicals. In this sense, foreign experts may organize lectures and attend seminars when approved by the host institutions, and necessary assistance shall be provided.

8. What if foreign experts give lectures or participate in teaching exchange activities without the host institution's approval?

It is stipulated in the Contract that foreign experts shall not take part-time jobs irrelevant to the host institutions without institutions' consent. However, in order to give full play to foreign experts' professional knowledge, and to maximize benefits from them, the host institutions shall allow foreign experts, when invited by other institutions, to give lectures or participate in teaching exchange activities in their spare time or holidays, provided that the normal work at the host institutions is not affected. The inviting institutions shall contact and consult with the host institutions and ask for approval land assistance from them. Foreign experts shall gain consent in advance from host institutions when taking part-time jobs in other institutions.

9. Are documentaries, videotapes, and movies, etc. for teaching purposes provided by foreign experts allowed to be shown?

Documentaries, videotapes, and movies, etc. for teaching purposes provided by foreign experts may be shown to relevant personnel only after passing examination by officials in charge in the host institutions.

10. How to deal with strikes by foreign experts?

Causes of foreign experts' teaching or work strikes shall be investigated. Those who go on strike frequently or under various excuses shall first be dissuaded, given serious criticism, and made aware of the harm to bilateral cooperation. For those who go on strike with no reason, the institutions shall, besides giving them serious criticism, point out its unfriendliness, and deduct their salaries if necessary, or even terminate the contract.

11. What's China's religion policy for foreign experts?

It's China's religion policy that every citizen enjoys their freedom of religious belief, and that normal religious activities are protected. All religion bodies and religious affairs in China shall stick to the principle of independence, self-decision and self-organizing, and shall not be controlled or manipulated by foreign power.

The religious belief of foreign experts shall not be interfered with. They may go to the open religious sites in China for religious life as common religious believers, but they are not allowed to preach, recruit new believers and interfere with religion affairs in China.

IX. REWARD FOR FOREIGN EXPERTS (1) (694 – 694)

1. How many types of reward are there to foreign experts?

There are three types of reward to foreign experts as follows:

(1) Prize at institution level

Those foreign experts who have made contributions in their work and have brought the host institutions obvious economic benefits or social benefits may be rewarded with merits certificates titled with Advanced Worker or Distinguished Teacher in the institution's name and commemorative gifts whose value amounts to no more than RMB 1,000.

(2) Prize at provincial or ministerial level

Those foreign experts, who have made great contributions in their work and have brought the host institutions or ministry (area) remarkable economic benefits or social benefits, may be rewarded with merits certificates in the name of the provincial government.

(3) Friendship Award

Friendship Award may be conferred by State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs to certain foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions.

(4) Foreign experts who have achieved attainment in scientific research by expounding natural phenomenon, features or rules that are of great importance in the development of science and technology, or who have made creation or invention when working in China shall be rewarded in accordance with Provisions of People's Republic of China on Rewards for Natural Science Achievements and Provisions of People's Republic of China on Rewards for Inventions.

IX. REWARDS FOR FOREIGN EXPERTS (2) (694)

2. Requirements for Friendship Award

The winners of Friendship Award shall be those who are friendly to China and any of the following:

(1) Who have been actively teaching new technology, new craft and new method to China, so that crucial problems on technology, management, etc. have been solved, gaps in certain fields have been filled, resulting in remarkable economic benefits or social benefits; or

(2) Who have made outstanding contributions in the construction, production and operation management, etc. of a project; or

(3) Who have provided important suggestion on technological advance and breakthrough that results in remarkable economic benefits; or

(4) Who have actively trained talents for China, or have contributed facilities, files and materials, etc. of great value, or have made outstanding contributions in teaching, scientific research, publishing, or external publicity; or

(5) Those friendly persons from foreign governmental and non-governmental organizations who have made contributions in bringing foreign talents to China.