China is remolding itself into another "land of opportunity" to attract talented workers from the rest of the world. However, with more foreigners coming in, a concern is growing: It's not easy for them to get a green card if they want to live in China permanently.

A public debate has been triggered in media and the Internet recently, arguing whether China's green card rules, effectuated in 2004, need reform. It is reported that in the last 10 years, only 248 foreigners obtained green cards annually on average, and the threshold for application is much higher than that of developed countries, which makes the Chinese green card "the hardest one to get," according to some Chinese social media.

The Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee has reportedly confirmed some authorities are researching green card reform, and it is expected the application rules might be eased. How the policy should be adjusted is open to discussion, but it must be noted that this policy matters much to foreign immigrants to China, a country eager to draw outside talent. Careful weighing and reckoning are needed so that there can be a balance among different interest groups.

Immigration policy serves the best interest of a nation, and so varies in different countries. There is no reason for China to copy the policy of other countries, especially developed countries.

For example, unlike the US, China is not a nation of immigrants, and its population of 1.34 billion is an enormous pressure and disadvantage in most cases. Chinese society would probably be mired by overpopulation if it copied what the US does and took in more than 1 million immigrants a year.

Different groups of people have various interests in green card reform. The authorities should listen to different opinions, but act with only one purpose: the public good. This requires prudence, patience and the ability to balance the demands of different groups.

The immigration policy of one country matters more than ever before since the whole world has entered an age of global competition. Talent has become a strategic resource to which the greatest importance has been attached by all governments. It is a demanding task for both the Chinese government and society to prepare for this competition and gain the upper hand in pooling talent.