Since 2009, SAIF hired a number of rookies.
QD
Chang
MG
BZ
ZJ
http://www.saif.sjtu.edu.cn/faculty/facultylist?quicktabs_facultyintr=0
Most of them left or will leave soon. But it is hard to attribute all this to SAIF. I do not think those rookies had offers from Singapore or Hong Kong schools, which often hire people with forthcoming or R&R at top journals.
Unlike Singapore or Hong Kong schools, Shanghai just lacks the scale—there are just less active young and senior researchers. http://www.econjobrumors.com/topic/who-are-good-cf-researchers-in-asia
Yu Yuan is not a rookie. Before joining SAIF, he had at least two top publications and some R&Rs. He could be successful anywhere.