18 June 2011 Last updated at 00:04 GMT

Mr. Xi Jinping meets with representatives attending the China Overseas Chinese Entrepreneurs Association (COCEA) Conference

Source: Xinhua Net Published date: 6-18-2011

Communique from Xinhua Net Beijing, June 18, 2011 (Journalists: Li Yajie, Cui Jing)

On the morning of June 17, 2011, Mr. Xi Jinping, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Secretary of Secretariat of the Central Committee of CPC, and Vice President of the People's Republic of China, met with representatives attending the Second Member Representatives Conference of COCEA at the Great Hall of the People. He greeted and extended good wishes to all the overseas Chinese entrepreneurs and the overseas Chinese people attending the conference.

Mr. Xi Jining (right) is shaking hands with Mr. Tiong Hiew King, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of COCEA and Chairman of Malaysia Rimbunan Hijau Group of (left).Published by China News Service, photo by Sheng Jiapeng

Mr. Xi Jinping noted that overseas Chinese people, returned overseas Chinese people and their relatives, as well as overseas Chinese entrepreneurs have made significant and irreplaceable contributions to China's development and reform. Especially after China’s reform and opening up, many overseas Chinese have come back to mainland China to invest and conduct business. In addition there is substantial number of overseas Chinese entrepreneurs who establish new enterprises year after year. A great number of overseas Chinese people have actively participated in contributing to the public good and are working towards alleviating poverty. The necessity of addressing major social challenges has led to advances in many disciplines, including education, medical care, culture, sports, and social welfare. Also, overseas Chinese people have dedicated themselves to supporting the success of the Beijing Olympics, the Shanghai World Expo, the Guangzhou Asian Games, and the rescue work and reconstruction of the Wenchuan-earthquake-stricken areas in Sichuan Province.

Mr. Xi Jinping pointed out that this year is the beginning of the Twelfth Five-Year Plan. China has accelerated its economic development transformation and ongoing economic restructuring with the goal of achieving a sustainable, comprehensive, and vibrant people-oriented development. By accelerating China’s domestic economic development, overseas entrepreneurs will enjoy a larger platform and significant additional opportunities for their business to grow. Mr. Xi Jinping has four wishes for overseas Chinese people, including overseas Chinese entrepreneurs. The first wish for them is to continue to make full use of their own advantages to actively participate in China’s modernization. The second wish is for them to continue to advance communication and contact between both sides of the Taiwan Strait to promote the reunification of China. The third wish is to continue to make efforts to promote Chinese culture and the exchange and integration of Chinese and foreign cultures. The fourth wish is to continue to immerse themselves in the local society and bring forward the mutual-understanding and friendship between China and other countries, making a contribution to the further economic cooperation between China and other countries, the Chinese nation’s rejuvenation, and improvements in understanding and friendship between China and other countries.

Furthermore, Mr. Xi Jinping pointed out that within the three years after the COCEA was established and following its mission of Friendship, Service, Cooperation and Development, the COCEA has gathered a group of entrepreneurs, influential both in China and overseas, and has made large investments and accomplished great achievements in mainland China. The Association has grown to become an important platform for communication and cooperation among overseas Chinese entrepreneurs and a bridge for the government and overseas Chinese entrepreneurs to communicate. He hopes the association will keep moving forward, regularly holding conferences and activities, and gathering the wisdom and power of overseas entrepreneurs to make more contributions to the building of a prosperous Chinese society.

Other attendees included members from the Overseas Chinese Committee of Nation People’s Congress, Overseas Chinese Bureau of the State Council, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and Overseas Chinese committee of National Committee of People’s Political Consultative, the Central committee of Chinese Party of Public Interest, and the Union of Overseas Chinese.