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China’s Communist Party
ChinaPolitics

Beijing urges overseas Chinese to hold line against separatism and support reunification with Taiwan

  • Politburo Standing Committee member Li Xi told the 11th national congress of returned overseas Chinese and their relatives to ‘take a clear-cut stand’
  • Ethnic Chinese communities abroad have been the largest source of China’s foreign direct investment since the 1980s

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Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the opening ceremony of the 11th national congress of returned overseas Chinese and their relatives at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday. Photo: Xinhua
William Zheng
A senior Chinese leader has called on Chinese abroad to stay united with their compatriots at home and “take a clear-cut stand” against all talk and action promoting separatism.
Li Xi, who is ranked seventh in the party’s Politburo Standing Committee – China’s innermost decision-making circle – and the top disciplinary chief, made the remarks in his keynote speech at the 11th national congress of returned overseas Chinese and their relatives, according to state-run Xinhua News agency.

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The event was also attended by President Xi Jinping and Vice-President Han Zheng.

Xinhua said nearly 1,200 representatives of returned overseas Chinese and their relatives from across the country, and nearly 600 overseas Chinese from more than 100 countries, attended the congress.

Ethnic Chinese communities have been the largest source of China’s foreign direct investment since the 1980s. Beijing’s United Front Work has also been known to tap these communities to advance China’s agendas overseas.

Li called on overseas Chinese to “resolutely oppose independence and promote reunification”, deepen the “integration and development of various fields” and promote the “spiritual harmony of compatriots on both sides of the strait”, Xinhua said.

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