Cantonese living abroad invited to contribute to Guangdong’s development

The 4th Global Conference of the Cantonese kicks off in Zhaoqing, Guangdong province, on Friday. [Photo by Zheng Caixiong/chinadaily.com]

Overseas Cantonese are being urged to act as a link and a bridge to connect Guangdong province with the rest of the world.

Wang Ruijun, a member of the Standing Committee of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, said the mass Cantonese who are now living abroad have played a very important role in Guangdong's reform and opening-up in previous years. He expects their contribution to continue in the future.

Guangdong is expecting more overseas Cantonese to return home to establish companies and joint ventures to contribute to their hometown's economic construction, while the province seeks to advance exchanges and cooperation with the rest of world to achieve its high-quality and modernization development, said Wang.

He promised the Guangdong government would provide high-quality services for the overseas Cantonese who return to their hometowns for investment.

Wang, also head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee, made the remarks on Friday at the opening ceremony of The 4th Global Conference of the Cantonese in Zhaoqing, a GBA city in the western part of Guangdong.

According to Wang, Guangdong's GDP reached more than 9.6 trillion yuan ($1.37 trillion) in the first three quarters of 2023, and the figure is expected to reach more than 13.5 trillion for the year. Guangdong has led China in terms of GDP for 34 consecutive years.

Zhang Jianmin, deputy director of the Comprehensive Bureau of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, said the path of Sino-foreign cooperation has become wider and wider, as the country promotes its Belt and Road Initiative.

"The overseas Chinese have their unique advantages to help link China to the world," he said.

He hopes that overseas Cantonese will always care for and support the construction of their hometown and contribute to the country's high-quality development.

More than 1,000 officials, business representatives and leaders of overseas Chinese from more than 60 nations and regions around the world will attend the two-day event, which concludes on Saturday.

In addition to keynote speeches by senior officials and outstanding Cantonese, the event also includes special economic and cultural forums and seminars that are organized for the mass Cantonese to seek business opportunities and discuss the construction and development of their hometowns.

More than 100 million Cantonese are now estimated to live and work around the world.