There are two key measures to guarantee the quality of foreign experts in China, said Xia Bing, director of the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs' department of cultural and educational experts.

A blacklist system was introduced in 2010, and there are nine circumstances deemed as strong violations of employers' regulations that may see someone put on the list, he said.

The most serious is committing a crime, and should this happen the offender's name will be announced to the public.

In other cases, names on the list will only be circulated within the nationwide system of institutions that are qualified to hire foreigners, and all levels of the foreign experts affairs administration.

People who are on the list will be forbidden to teach in China at least for three years.

"The most frequent situation out of the nine is to leave without informing the school in advance. This does not involve any laws but affects employers very much, because they have to find a replacement in a very short time," Xia said.

"But if their names are made public, their reputation will be tainted. That's not what we want to see other than preventing them from becoming a teacher in China again in the next three or more years."

The other measure that can ease parents' worries about the qualifications of foreign teachers is to go to the foreign experts affairs administrations to check.

Xia confirmed the public may access information about specific foreign teachers from the administration, but he said no one has ever done this.

"We want the world to know that China has strict laws and is by no means a paradise for criminals. We warmly welcome foreign talents to China, pursuing their dreams," Xia said. "And for those who are seeking jobs in China, please turn to formal institutions to protect your rights."

- Wu Wencong

(China Daily 05/13/2013 page4)