SHANGHAI -- China saw 495,000 students return from overseas study in 2024, up 79,400 from a year earlier and an increase of 19.1 percent, education authorities said on Thursday, in a sign of an accelerating flow of talent back to the country.

The figures were released at an event in Shanghai organized by the Ministry of Education to mark the 30th anniversary of the ministry's "Chunhui", or "Spring Light", program, which encourages Chinese students studying overseas to contribute to national development.

The ministry said that from 1978, when China launched its reform and opening up policy, to 2024, a total of 8.88 million Chinese went abroad to study. Among the 7.43 million students who completed their studies, 6.44 million chose to return to China.

Since 2012, 5.63 million students have returned to China, accounting for 87 percent of all returnees since the late 1970s.