The Sixth Forum on Maritime Silk Road for Young Overseas Chinese Elites from Fujian, themed “Carrying Forward Tan Kah Kee Spirit, Fujianese Overseas Chinese Youth Writing a New Chapter in Putian,” was held in Putian City on August 28. The event was graced by Xiao Huaxin, Deputy Director of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee and Director of the Fujian Provincial Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, Lin Xuyang, Mayor of Putian City, Zhang Afeng, Deputy Secretary of the Fujian Provincial Committee of the Communist Youth League, Qi Zhi, Vice Chairman of the Returned Overseas Chinese Federation of Fujian Province, and more than 100 representatives of Fujianese overseas Chinese youth and overseas students from 35 countries and regions.
In his speech, Xiao Huaxin stated that currently, Fujian is fully implementing the strategic deployment made by the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee regarding further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization, promoting high-quality development in every aspect and striving to write a new chapter of modernization with Chinese characteristics in Fujian. This brings new historical opportunities to Fujianese overseas Chinese youth. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Mr. Tan Kah Kee, “the flag of overseas Chinese and the glory of the Chinese nation.” He hoped that participants would become aspiring youth pursuing and realizing dreams by strengthening their beliefs, become capable youth bridging China and the world through exchanges and mutual learning, and become insightful youth leading the future through exploration and innovation, uphold the Tan Kah Kee spirit, contribute their youthful energy to the Maritime Silk Road construction and write a youthful chapter for this era.
Lin Xuyang introduced the city of Putian. He said that Putian is a promising land for development and a blessed land for business. The CPC Putian Municipal Committee and Putian Municipal People’s Government will leverage the “Global Putian People” platform (putianren.cn) to continually deepen connections with the new generation of overseas Chinese, and facilitate the gathering of capital, intellect, and strength of overseas Chinese. He hoped that overseas Chinese youth would utilize their network and business connections to attract more overseas Chinese to invest and start businesses in Putian.
At the event, an initiative to inherit the Tan Kah Kee spirit by Fujianese overseas Chinese youth was announced. Relevant departments gave on-site presentations about Fujian’s talent policies, Fujian’s business environment and investment opportunities, and Putian’s industrial investment promotion efforts.
During the event, Fujianese overseas Chinese youth will visit local sites to learn about Putian’s “intelligent” manufacturing, rural revitalization, and Mazu culture, experiencing the pulse of local development firsthand.