International　education　and　international　student　mobility　are　becoming　increasingly　popular　in　the　era　of　globalization,　which　has　triggered　discussions　on　brain　drain,　brain　gain,　and　brain　circulation.　Nonetheless,　international　student　mobility　has　been　significantly　not　only　by　the　outbreak　of　the　COVID-19　pandemic　but　also　by　the　new　geopolitics　clearly　adversely　influencing　the　diplomatic　relationships　between　China　and　the　USA　with　its　allies　in　the　West.　In　view　of　the　growing　complexity　closely　related　to　how　international　politics　affecting　international　learning　and　student　mobility,　there　is　a　reverse　trend　of　Chinese　international　students　choosing　to　return　to　China　in　recent　years　against　the　worsening　relations　between　China　and　some　major　powers　in　the　West.　This　chapter　sets　out　against　the　broader　political　economy　context　to　examine　the　intentions　of　Chinese　high-level　talents　graduating　from　major　universities　overseas　to　return　to　mainland　China　to　pursue　their　career　development.　More　specifically,　this　chapter　examines　the　high-level　talents’　overall　feelings　about　China　and　foreign　countries　from　their　perspectives.　Special　attention　is　given　to　high-level　talents’　preferred　institutions　and　provinces　or　regions　for　their　career　development.　Analyzing　the　major　survey　data　generated　from　a　research　project　conducted　by　Peking　University,　this　chapter　discusses　policy　implications　for　talent　attraction　and　retention　for　the　GBA.　©　2022,　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　license　to　Springer　Nature　Singapore　Pte　Ltd.