Indispensable to tech-driven growth imagined in Xi Jinping’s ‘new development stage’, talent is officially deemed a strategic resource. Often best translated as ‘skill’, ‘talent’ generally means employable persons or staff. Scitech, military, or education 'talents' are but a few examples of seemingly unending spins on the term. In the New Era, however, skills must be matched with ‘correct’ political views. Proper 'talent policy', insists Xi Jinping, would allow 'talents', while realising personal dreams, to serve the motherland both abroad and at home.