National Congress of Returned Overseas Chinese begins end of August

About 1,300 representatives will attend the 11th National Congress of Returned Overseas Chinese and their Relatives that will be held in Beijing from Aug 31 to Sept 3, according to the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese.

Nearly 600 overseas Chinese from more than 100 countries will also be invited to attend the congress, held only once every five years.

The meeting will review and summarize the work of the federations of returned overseas Chinese over the past five years and plan work for the next five years. It will also revise the ACFROC constitution and elect new ACFROC leadership.

Decisions to honor models of returned overseas Chinese and outstanding individuals and groups under the ACFROC and affiliated organizations will also be announced at the ceremony.

Cheng Xueyuan, vice chairman of the ACFROC, said at a news conference on Friday that the congress will help gather strength from returned overseas Chinese and overseas Chinese for the building of a modern socialist country.

Cheng said that, in the past five years, efforts have been made to serve the country's economic development and more than one hundred overseas Chinese business people groups have been arranged by the federation to visit China for cooperation.

In the past five years, returned overseas Chinese who serve as national legislators and advisers have submitted about 200 pieces proposals and suggestions to promote the solution of issues related to the interests of overseas Chinese, according to him.