A senior Chinese official on Monday addressed the 11th Conference on International Exchange of Professionals and revealed that nearly 530,000 foreign experts were working in China in 2011. A director of the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (SAFEA) said at the conference\'s opening ceremony that in contrast, the annual count stood at about 10,000 in the late 1970s, when China launched its reform and opening up, according to China\'s (Xinhua) News Agency. These imported talents contributed to China\'s modernization, especially in cutting-edge science and technology projects. The official also pledged to invite more foreign talents to China and send more Chinese professionals to train overseas in order to promote mutual benefit and common prosperity.