SHANGHAI - A growing number of high-level overseas talents have made remarkable contributions to Pudong's development of new strategic industries and shifting development pattern, according to an official statement issued Thursday.

Pudong district, Shanghai's economic engine, currently has 60 newly recruited professionals under a massive national project designed to find 1,000 top talents from abroad to fuel the country's drive toward independent innovation and sustainable development, said the statement.

Enterprises founded by those talents have attracted an average investment of up to 240 million yuan (38 million US dollars), as the capital market has strong confidence and interests in them and emerging industries, it added.

The statement also noted the key sectors chosen by most talents, including clean energy, new materials, bio-medicine and cloud computing.

The project, dubbed Plan 1,000 or the Recruitment Program of Global Experts, is a special plan introduced in late 2008 by the central government.

Those enrolled would be offered a tax-free signing bonus of 1 million yuan in addition to a series of favorable conditions in public services and social welfare.

Over 2,200 qualified overseas talents had been recruited under the project by the end of 2011.