The ninth board of directors of the Western Returned Scholars Association (WRSA), also known as the Overseas-educated Scholars Association of China, held its first presidents' meeting of the year in Beijing on June 3.

Participants exchanged views on their study of the remarks made by Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), when he met with members of the ninth board of directors of the WRSA. Yang Zhen, vice-chairman of the CPPCC National Committee and president of the ninth board of directors of the WRSA, presided over and addressed the meeting.

Yang emphasized that the new leadership body of the board must uphold political integrity in building the association and must always unite and guide returned scholars and overseas-educated personnel to follow the Party in words and actions. Leading members should inspire overseas returnees to carry forward the proud tradition of studying abroad to serve the nation, pooling powerful strength from them to advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese modernization, he added.

Yang called for upholding unity as the foundation of the association, bringing together resources and strengths on all fronts, and driving organizations at all levels to strengthen the pipeline of representative figures among overseas returnees so that the WRSA, as a "century-old institution", keeps growing stronger and its distinguished brand shines even brighter.

He noted the need to govern the association in accordance with its charter, advancing standardized organizational development, reviewing and refining relevant systems and working mechanisms, and fostering an institutional atmosphere of rule-based governance.

Yang underscored running the association democratically and turning the WRSA into a home of solidarity, aspiration, and support for overseas returnees. He stressed innovating service approaches and platforms to help overseas returnees resolve pressing difficulties and immediate concerns, so as to keep enhancing the organization's appeal and cohesion.

He also emphasized revitalizing the association through concrete work, urging leading members to keep the bigger picture in mind, serve national priorities, and uphold a truth-seeking and innovative approach. The WRSA's work, he said, must be deliberated, positioned and planned within the overarching context of the Party and the country's overall strategy, and the leadership of the board needs to faithfully perform its duties, work diligently, lead by example and contribute to high-quality progress in the association's work across the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30).