Opening Ceremony
The morning of December 20 witnessed the grand opening of the first Overseas Chinese Talent Conference for Development in Fuzhou, Fujian Province. Co-hosted by the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese (ACFROC) and the Fujian Provincial People’s Government, the conference is themed “Pooling the Wisdom of Overseas Chinese Talent to Fulfill the Chinese Dream”. It endeavors to create a national platform committed to “tracing back to the origin, learning Xi Jinping Thought, uniting overseas Chinese, fostering consensus, pooling the wisdom of overseas Chinese, and promoting development”. Rooted in Fujian, the platform extends its services nationwide while maintaining a global vision, with Beijing Municipality, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and Suzhou Municipality serving as distinguished guests of honor. Over 1,000 guests from 37 countries and regions around the world attended the conference.
He Wei, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and Chairman of the Central Committee of the Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party, delivered the keynote speech and declared the conference open at the opening ceremony. Other notable speakers included Zhou Zuyi, Secretary of the Fujian Provincial Party Committee and Director of the Standing Committee of the Fujian Provincial People’s Congress; Wan Lijun, Secretary of the Party Leader Group and Chairman of the ACFROC; Sima Hong, Vice Mayor of Beijing Municipality; Wang Keqiang, Vice President and Member of the Party Leader Group of the CAS; and Zhao Yuliang, representing overseas Chinese academicians. Zhao Long, Deputy Secretary of the Fujian Provincial Party Committee and Governor of the Fujian Provincial People’s Government, presided over the opening ceremony.
Mayor Wu Xiande of the Fuzhou Municipal People’s Government reading out the “Fuzhou Declaration” by the new generation of overseas Chinese
The main forum started following the opening ceremony. Lin Baojin, a Member of the Standing Committee of the Fujian Provincial Party Committee and Secretary of the Fuzhou Municipal Party Committee, delivered the keynote speech. Wang Yongli, another Member of the Standing Committee of the Fujian Provincial Party Committee and Director of the United Front Work Department, presided over the event. Avram Hershko, a Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, 2004, addressed the conference through a video message, while the CAS Academician Zhang Weihong and Chen Lingling, a researcher from the Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, CAS, delivered keynote speeches, respectively. Additionally, Mayor Wu Xiande of the Fuzhou Municipal People’s Government read out the “Fuzhou Declaration” by the new generation of overseas Chinese.
Opening Ceremony
During the conference, there will be 4 business matchmaking activities, 2 science and technology competitions, 4 thematic forums, 1 exhibition, 3 side events, and 2 presentations by guests of honor. The focus will be on strategic emerging industries like new energy, new materials, artificial intelligence, marine economy, and biomedicine. The goal is to facilitate effective project and talent resource connections among the government, enterprises, and universities. Additionally, a series of activities named “Pooling the Wisdom of Overseas Chinese Talent” will be organized, with scientific and technological talents at home and abroad invited to participate in the competitions. This initiative aims to identify and nurture international-oriented and high-level technical personnel of great talent.