General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee Xi Jinping, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attends the opening ceremony of the 11th National Congress of Returned Overseas Chinese and their Relatives at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Aug 31, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

Returnees asked to contribute toward rural vitalization, green development

The central leadership of the Communist Party of China has affirmed the important role of returned overseas Chinese in pushing forward the Chinese path to modernization, calling on them to contribute to the nation's self-reliance in science and technology and a higher level of opening-up.

The message was conveyed at the opening ceremony of the 11th National Congress of Returned Overseas Chinese and their Relatives in Beijing, a gathering that brought together close to 1,200 returned overseas Chinese residents and their relatives and about 600 overseas Chinese from over 100 countries.

President Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, attended the event along with other Party and State leaders to congratulate the opening of the congress, which is held once every five years.

Leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state including Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Han Zheng attend the opening ceremony of the 11th National Congress of Returned Overseas Chinese and their Relatives and extend their congratulations to the event at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Aug 31, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, Li Xi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, spoke at the gathering.

He highlighted the active role of overseas Chinese, including those who have returned to China, in China's economic growth, poverty alleviation, opening up and the fight against COVID-19.

The returned overseas Chinese are both the impetus to and beneficiary of the Chinese path to modernization, and they should give play to their strengths in capital, technology, talent, information and management and contribute to the national drives in rural vitalization, common prosperity and green development, Li said.

He also expressed the hope that the overseas Chinese can promote the cause of "one country, two systems", enable the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions to better integrate into the overall plan for national development and contribute toward the long-term prosperity and stability of the two regions.

Li laid out expectations that the overseas Chinese will remain unwavering in opposing "Taiwan independence" and promoting national reunification, further the integrated development across the Taiwan Strait and enable people across the Strait to better understand each other.

Li also called on the overseas Chinese to obey the law of the country they live in, respect local customs and take the initiative to integrate themselves into local society and serve as bridges for exchanges and cooperation between their country of residence and China.

Wan Lijun, chairman of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, a people's organization led by the CPC, said in a work report to the congress that the organization will make the utmost efforts in pooling the strength and resources from returned overseas Chinese and compatriots overseas to contribute to the Chinese path to modernization.

The organization will develop closer ties with overseas Chinese businesspeople, startup leaders, talents and college students, establish cooperation platforms for the joint building of the Belt and Road and expand channels for attracting investments and talents, he said.

The National Congress of Returned Overseas Chinese and their Relatives will be held through Saturday, during which a new leadership of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese will be elected.