Personally I would love to contribute in some way to China’s 13th Five Year Plan and I am sure that there are many other westerners that feel the same way.

I agree with those that stress the importance of the benefits that the Internet and expats can bring to everyone in China.

I think a starting point is for the government to develop a website where foreigners and expats can access information, find each other, find where their skills are needed and find the ways to connect with those that need their expertise.

The website should be easy to find, easy to navigate through and be a liaison for both sides. It should ensure that those offering and those requesting are correctly matched up and it should monitor their activities throughout the whole process. Ideally there would also be physical official locations for the two sides to meet where plans of action could be finalized.

I see people that are starting up new businesses or investing in start-ups that have no knowledge of what is needed for the enterprise and/or for themselves to succeed and not wanting to spend the time and effort to do any research or to sketch out a business plan. A web based intermediary over time could change this.