Build Confidence, Embrace New Opportunities, Unite Overseas Chinese Strength (Focus of the Overseas Chinese Community)

(Original Title: Overseas Chinese Community Discusses Government Work Report and the 14th Five-Year Plan Outline—Building Confidence, Seizing New Opportunities, Gathering Overseas Chinese Strengths)

Recently, China’s National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference concluded. The Fourth Session of the 14th National People’s Congress approved the government work report, the 14th Five-Year Plan outline, and other documents. Over the past few days, overseas Chinese, returned overseas Chinese, their families, and overseas Chinese affairs workers have shared their insights and expressed their thoughts.

Several overseas Chinese community representatives stated, “The 14th Five-Year Plan” sets China’s strategic goal to develop new quality productive forces, aiming for higher levels and embracing new developments, which is very inspiring and full of expectations. A China full of innovative vitality will bring more development opportunities to the world. The overseas Chinese community will continue to leverage its unique advantages to contribute to high-quality development.

Protecting the legitimate rights and interests of overseas Chinese and returned overseas Chinese families

This year, the government work report proposed fully implementing the Party’s policies on overseas Chinese affairs, safeguarding the legal rights and interests of overseas Chinese and returned Chinese families, and better uniting their hearts and efforts. The 14th Five-Year Plan outline also emphasizes fully implementing the Party’s policies on overseas Chinese affairs, better uniting their hearts and efforts, and strengthening the bonds through kinship, hometown culture, and other ties.

The Supreme People’s Court work report this year mentioned working with the All-China Federation of Overseas Chinese to strengthen judicial protection of overseas Chinese interests. For example, a Chinese overseas Chinese filed a lawsuit over a century-old property dispute; the court, together with the federation, successfully mediated, resolving the case peacefully. The Supreme People’s Procuratorate’s work report highlighted safeguarding the legal rights and interests of compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, overseas Chinese, and returned overseas Chinese families. They handled 2,180 cases involving Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and overseas Chinese affairs. Both the Supreme Court and the Supreme Procuratorate have emphasized this year the importance of strengthening legal protections for overseas Chinese and returned Chinese families.

【Hot Discussions】

Liu Yiqin, member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and advisor to the All-China Federation of Overseas Chinese: During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, overseas Chinese affairs work closely focused on the national development strategy, achieving solid results in uniting overseas Chinese, serving high-quality development, safeguarding their rights, and promoting China-foreign exchanges. This year’s government work report’s emphasis on “fully implementing the Party’s policies on overseas Chinese affairs” demonstrates the country’s attention to overseas Chinese and their families, and signals a shift from broad coverage to more precise and institutionalized efforts.

As 2025, the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan, approaches, practical paths for overseas Chinese work must be solidified. First, strengthen the foundation for uniting overseas Chinese. Build a coordinated and interactive overseas Chinese work system, innovate methods, and precisely meet community needs. Second, unleash the potential of the community. Fully explore their advantages in capital, technology, talent, and networks, and establish platforms connecting community resources with national development needs. Encourage enterprises and professionals from the community to participate in technological innovation, industrial upgrading, and rural revitalization, focusing resources on key areas and critical links. Third, safeguard the legal rights and interests of overseas Chinese and returned families. Accelerate the improvement of laws and regulations related to overseas Chinese, refine protection measures, optimize service processes, and build integrated online and offline service platforms to provide policy consultation, administrative services, and rights protection in one stop.

In recent years, the All-China Federation of Overseas Chinese has deepened cooperation with the Supreme Court and the Supreme Procuratorate, improving mechanisms for judicial and legal cooperation, issuing normative documents on judicial protection, publishing typical cases, and promoting diversified resolution of disputes involving overseas Chinese. These efforts have significantly strengthened legal protections. The work reports of the Supreme Court and the Supreme Procuratorate this year also emphasized safeguarding overseas Chinese rights, reflecting the importance placed on protecting their legal interests. Further deepening legal cooperation mechanisms, establishing green channels for legal services, dispute mediation platforms, and rights protection mechanisms will help overseas Chinese better feel the rule of law and the warmth of the federation.

Wu Chen, a member of the National People’s Congress, chief architect and chief planner at Beijing Institute of Architectural Design: As an overseas Chinese representative, I am deeply impressed by the government work report’s emphasis on “safeguarding the legal rights and interests of overseas Chinese and returned families.” In the context of increasing globalization and frequent personnel exchanges, we need to further improve cross-border legal and public service platforms and emergency assistance mechanisms, strengthen the foreign-related public service system, and enhance services for students, workers, and businesspeople abroad. This will help form a more convenient and efficient service system to better unite overseas Chinese communities.

Dong Gang, head of the Chinese Star Arts Troupe in Cape Town, South Africa: The Party and government are meticulous in overseas Chinese work. Issues like visa difficulties, bank account opening, and notarization have been addressed through policy adjustments, greatly increasing overall satisfaction among overseas Chinese. The overseas Chinese affairs department has also produced practical guides summarizing common issues and solutions, managing entry/exit, identity verification, and intellectual property rights with detailed, networked services. I hope the content related to safeguarding community interests in the work report will be further detailed and implemented. I will continue to focus on optimizing foreign exchange policies, facilitating investment, and supporting children’s education.

Providing more opportunities for integration into the Chinese market

The government work report and the 14th Five-Year Plan outline include plans for developing new quality productive forces, boosting consumption, promoting digital transformation in manufacturing, advancing “AI+” initiatives, and fostering cultural creation and production.

Overseas Chinese have the advantage of bridging China and the world. Various measures create more opportunities for overseas Chinese and Chinese entrepreneurs to deeply integrate into the Chinese market.

【Hot Discussions】

Huang Qingsliu, member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and president of Hengan Group: Artificial intelligence is accelerating across industries. Companies urgently need to understand and apply AI—not just as a tool, but by adopting AI thinking to empower operations comprehensively, including manufacturing, supply chain management, marketing, and customer service.

Hengan has been deepening digital transformation in recent years, moving from system upgrades to organizational and decision-making reforms. During the 14th Five-Year Plan, Hengan will promote intelligent transformation of manufacturing, implement smart manufacturing projects, and develop industrial internet innovations, aiming to make AI the core engine of management and to transform into a benchmark enterprise in digital intelligence.

Zhang Reyun, visiting professor at Thonburi University’s College of Arts in Thailand: Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan, as an artist, I see two major trends: first, the deep integration of “art + technology.” AI and digital tech are profoundly changing artistic creation and dissemination. I hope to build digital art labs and traditional craft digital gene banks, revitalizing Chinese traditional arts like ceramics and calligraphy in new scenes such as the metaverse, bringing cultural relics to life and making intangible cultural heritage trendy. Second, “art + rural development” social practice. Art should go into the fields and into daily life. I look forward to encouraging more artists to visit rural areas, using murals and public art installations to activate rural culture, allowing people to enjoy beauty at their doorstep. I hope that in the new blueprint of the 15th Five-Year Plan, we can paint a more brilliant cultural picture, allowing Chinese civilization to show even greater vitality through inheritance and innovation.

Liu Yijun, founder of Eco Wish: The 15th Five-Year Plan emphasizes promoting consumer product upgrades to meet diverse needs. China has a large middle-class consumer base and vast market potential. As the economy and society develop, consumers’ health awareness increases, and their demands change. Expanding supply of quality goods and services and creating rich consumption scenarios will better meet people’s pursuit of a better life.

In recent years, our R&D team has developed plant-based formulas to replace alcohol, biodegradable materials to replace traditional polyester non-woven fabrics, and fully disclosed ingredients to respect consumer rights. We created wet wipes that can cool the skin for hours when hung around the neck. This innovative approach to solving consumer pain points effectively meets new demands, ensuring product competitiveness and opening doors to international markets.

Supporting mutual benefits and win-win cooperation

The government work report and the 14th Five-Year Plan outline include plans to expand opening-up, promote high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, and strengthen international cultural exchanges and cooperation. For example, the outline proposes broadening international people-to-people exchanges, enhancing multilevel dialogue among civilizations, and helping Chinese culture better reach the world.

These measures send positive signals about China’s ongoing deepening of international cooperation, promoting trade, cultural exchanges, and providing opportunities for overseas Chinese to act as bridges and facilitators for mutual benefits.

【Hot Discussions】

Shi Datuo, founder of Thaitak Law Firm and president of the China-Thailand Legal Alliance: The government work report and the 14th Five-Year Plan are comprehensive and systematic, demonstrating China’s solid economic foundation. The future expansion of high-level opening-up is exciting, especially the mention of deepening reforms to facilitate foreign investment and ensure equal treatment for foreign-funded enterprises, which is impressive.

Having long provided foreign-related legal services in Thailand, my firm focuses on risk prevention, dispute resolution, and safeguarding legal rights for Chinese companies going abroad under the Belt and Road. We have organized multiple China-Thailand legal cooperation forums, promoting China’s foreign investment laws to Thai companies; we have also been invited by the Swedish embassy in Thailand to introduce Chinese investment policies to Swedish entrepreneurs.

I will actively promote the spirit of China’s two sessions and the 14th Five-Year Plan among overseas Chinese and enterprises, helping them share China’s development opportunities. I will continue to tell China’s story well, explain investment policies, and encourage more Thai and European companies to invest in China. Using our global legal network, we will support Chinese companies’ “going out” with legal services. Additionally, we plan to incorporate AI technology into legal services to improve risk identification and response efficiency for multinational enterprises.

Dong Gang: Overseas Chinese are an important force in promoting people-to-people exchanges between China and other countries. In South Africa, we promote “making friends first, then sharing culture,” building trust through daily interactions and fostering cultural exchanges. In Cape Town, many overseas Chinese actively participate in local festivals, showcasing Chinese culture through dragon and lion dances, Yangge, Sichuan opera face-changing, martial arts, and panda images. For years, we have organized events like the “Spring Festival in Cape Town” and the “Cultural China Dragon Boat Festival,” celebrating National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival, promoting Chinese traditions through festivals, cuisine, and cultural activities. Our community is also active in charity, donating to build the “China Pavilion” for orphans, reflecting our social responsibility. We have organized police training in Fujian for South African officers and donated to a fund supporting children of police officers who died in the line of duty, fostering understanding of Chinese society.

To help children better inherit Chinese culture, we have established several Chinese-language schools. We look forward to more opportunities to organize summer and winter camps, encouraging young Chinese descendants to visit China, witness its development achievements, and strengthen their emotional ties with China, continuing the cultural heritage.