Brain Drain, Brain Gain and Brain Circulation: Emerging Trends and Patterns of Chinese Transnational Talent Mobility

Four decades ago, in the 1980s, network analysis did not anticipate the growing importance of transnational and diasporic communities “embedded” in more than one country. The integrating theoretical framework of transnational social mobilities is adopted for this article on Chinese talent mobility in the diaspora with a focus on the mobilities between China and countries in the OECD. By examining macro migration data within the OECD, we analyze emerging trends and patterns of the movement of highly skilled Chinese transnational talent. In light of China’s rising economic power and the concomitant growth of a Chinese transnational diaspora, we trace the trajectory of China’s brain drain, brain gain and brain circulation in OECD countries over the past forty years. Chinese talent mobility in the new economy consists of “transnational circuits” characterized by the circulation of goods, people, knowledge and information. This article theorizes the new modality of “circulation” in terms of transnational social mobilities.