Sept 27 saw a symposium on the deep engagement of overseas Chinese in the Belt and Road construction held at the auditorium of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing. 

Organized by the Committee on Liaison with Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Overseas Chinese of the CPPCC National Committee, the symposium was attended by representatives of overseas Chinese from countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, heads of member organizations of the Leading Group for Promoting the Belt and Road Initiative, State-owned enterprises, private companies and business associations, as well as experts several think tanks. 

The attendees exchanged ideas on many topics related to Belt and Road construction, including communication, resource sharing, risk prevention, protection of overseas interests, cooperation between domestic enterprises and overseas Chinese merchants, people-to-people exchanges, and building a wide consensus on the initiative among the public. 

Leung Chun-ying, vice-chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, said overseas compatriots can play a unique role in promoting high-quality Belt and Road construction, as this would be a strategic move that is relevant to the broad picture of China's opening-up and long-term development. Joint efforts should be made to encourage overseas Chinese to deeply engage in the initiative, such as by participating in the construction of key projects or exerting their "soft power," he added. 

Data shows China now has more than 60 million overseas Chinese living in 198 countries and regions. Forty million of them live in countries and regions participating in Belt and Road Initiative, providing invaluable resources - talent, capital and business networking – for the initiative. 

The symposium is aimed at setting up a platform for strengthening communication and addressing challenges in taking B&R construction to a new level.