The 2017 General Assembly of the Global Overseas Chinese to promote China’s peaceful reunification was held on July 23 in Florence, Italy. The Italian Chapter of the China Association for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification organized the conference. The theme was, “Persisting in the 1992 Consensus and Promoting Cross-Strait Integration and Sharing the Chinese Dream.” Zhang Baowen, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Democratic League and Vice President of the China Association for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification, delivered a speech at the opening ceremony.
Zhang Baowen pointed out that Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan compatriots and overseas Chinese are important forces to promote the development of cross-strait relations and promote the peaceful reunification of China. The Overseas Chinese Association for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification is an important link to uniting the compatriots at home and abroad and is the backbone of the global campaign of “anti-independence” and promoting unification.
The Chinese Ambassador to Italy, Li Ruiyu; the Deputy Director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, Long Mingbiao; and the Vice President of the China Overseas Exchange Association, Jiang Yan, also spoke at the conference.
More than 1,000 people from the mainland government representatives, leaders of the Overseas Chinese Association for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification, local Chinese government representatives, and international friends from more than 40 countries and regions attended the activities.
At present, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan compatriots and overseas Chinese have more than 200 institutions and similar organizations in more than 100 countries and regions.
The Global Overseas Chinese Conference for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification is an important platform for the overseas “anti-independence” movement. Since 2000, there have been 17 such overseas conferences, three of which were held in the U.S. (2000 in Washington, D.C.; 2009 in Los Angles; and 2011 in Washington, D.C.).
Sources: Xinhua, July 24 and 25, 2017; zhongguotongcuhui.org.cn; July26, 2017
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