The registration process for the National Civil Servant Examination has ended. Statistics show that among the fierce competition for civil servant posts, seven positions at the East China Sea Branch and South China Sea Branch under the State Oceanic Administration attracted no applicants.

Among these posts, six are crew positions on law enforcement ships under the East China Sea Branch, and one is for an engineer officer on a law enforcement ship under the South China Sea Branch.

As China and Japan are engaged in a maritime standoff, some Japanese media outlets have mockingly said that it was unexpected that the Chinese, so vocal in their patriotism, were indifferent to maritime surveillance efforts and that their patriotic hearts were fake. Some Japanese analysts believe the applicants were afraid of a potential war brought by escalating tensions and simply chose to avoid the risks.

Such analyses come from a Japanese perspective, which should not be believed blindly. But at the same time, their comments remind us that we must find out the exact reasons behind the zero registration for these posts.

Patriotic voices are never lacking in China, and have grown louder since Japan's farce of "nationalizing" the Diaoyu Islands. However, with regard to patriotism, actions speak louder than words. And working for the State Oceanic Administration, especially the above mentioned two branches, is obviously a good opportunity.

According to some experts, the registration conditions for these posts were quite strict - applicants must be under 35 years old and have various qualifications on A-class ships. But in reality, few under 35 have such qualifications.

It remains unknown whether this is the exact reason. But shouldn't employers have already thought about such a reality and made sure a number of potential candidates could meet the requirements?

It is not difficult to check the experts' explanation. Each qualification certificate is issued by a certain government department, where the age and background of certificate holders could easily be found out. Registration for these posts in previous years could also be checked, so as to see whether this year's lack of registrations is normal or not.

This is not making a fuss about a trifle, but has very real significance. The registration conditions for maritime surveillance posts are based on actual demands. But if no one meets the demand, there might be a shortage of talent in this regard. As a result, the mechanism for fostering such talents needs to be reviewed.

Some experts hold that the low pay and tough working conditions of maritime surveillance posts are also reasons for the zero applications. We often hear people pouring out their patriotism, saying that nothing could prevent them from marching forward bravely for their country. However, it is thought-provoking that no one turns up when a tough job requires them to stand forward.



China Youth Daily