A team of overseas Chinese from the Committee on Liaison with Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Overseas Chinese of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee conducted a survey in Northwest China’s Gansu province from Aug 12 to 16.

Led by Liu Cigui, chairman of the liaison committee, the team focused on the progress the province has made in strengthening cultural heritage protection and inheritance. Nineteen overseas Chinese from 16 countries joined the survey.

The team visited the cities of Dunhuang, Jiayuguan, Zhangye and Lanzhou. Their itinerary included the Dunhuang Optoelectronics Industrial Park, a 100MW molten salt tower solar thermal power station, the Mogao Grottoes digital exhibition center, the Jiayuguan Great Wall national culture park, the Memorial Hall of the West Route Army of Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army and the ecological protection project of the Yellow River basin. They also held two symposiums with officials from relevant provincial departments.

The team noted that Gansu has deepened reform of its cultural system, advanced the creative transformation and innovative development of traditional culture and made significant progress in cultural relics protection and research. The province has also promoted the integration of culture and tourism, accelerated the upgrading of traditional industries, developed its new energy sector, optimized its business environment and enhanced its integration into the Belt and Road Initiative, they said.

They added that upon returning to their countries of residence, they would share their experiences in Gansu and throughout China in ways that resonate with local communities, and leverage the unique role of overseas Chinese in fostering understanding and building common ground.