Over 320 overseas Chinese representatives from 51 countries and regions have been invited to attend the Chinese people’s political consultative conference meeting for 12 consecutive years since 2001, according to the data showed in the Fifth session of the 11th Chinese people’s political consultative conference.

Fang Wu, Deputy Inspector of Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, said in an interview, that 40 overseas Chinese in 25 countries had been invited to participate in this year’s CPPCC session, with the number reaching the peak during the past 12 years and a broader representation of geographical and professional areas covering the United States, Canada, Japan, France, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Australia, and etc., Most of them are well-known community leaders, business giants, experts and scholars, and scientific & technological elite.

Wu Fang also said overseas Chinese representatives from those countries that had never been covered in the past were to attend the meeting, namely ,Uzbekistan, Turkey, Egypt, Botswana, Ireland, the Czech Republic and Suriname.

As a nonvoting delegate to the conference, David Teng, Chairman of CCCICA, Zhuang Qianjin, President of Philippines Philippine Chinese Business Federation. Wu Binglin, Vice President of the Thailand Association for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China , Mai Qijia, President of the Chinese Association of Panama have arrived in Beijing to take part in the meeting.

While asked about how he felt about being a overseas Chinese representative. David Teng said he felt very honored to be invited to attend the CPPCC session, being able to experience China’s political atmosphere in this way . He also hoped to take the opportunity to come up with a proposal regarding how to disseminate Chinese culture as a brand abroad and enhance the core competitiveness of Chinese culture . “It has now become an important way for overseas Chinese to get to know how our home country has been developing and bring up relevant proposals by attending the CPPCC meeting.” he said.

Wu Fang also pointed out that for 12 years, nonvoting representatives of overseas Chinese have experienced home country’s political life and rapid development in various fields through a series of seminars and visits.”At a period when the development of overseas Chinese affairs becomes crucial, we have to expand innovative ways and channels to further deepen the ties and friendship with overseas Chinese, and to meet their needs to come up with advice and suggestions oriented to the construction of the motherland. This is a concrete move in creating those channels by inviting overseas Chinese representatives attending the CPPCC session.”