Jiang Calls for Overseas Chinese to Help China ����Chinese president Jiang Zemin has voiced his hope that overseas Chinese will further support the country's modernization drive and reunification cause. ����At a national meeting on overseas Chinese affairs January 18, Jiang said that overseas Chinese, with an estimated 60 million population, are playing an important role in bridging the gap between China and other parts of the world. ����He said there are many advantageous factors which they can bring to help expand China's opening up and push forward its economy. ����Jiang noted that overseas Chinese, many of them world-renowned scientists, are warmly supporting China's modernization drive and also have helped the country have a better understanding of the outside world. ����The president asked those attending the meeting to pay greater attention to building closer ties between overseas Chinese, increasing exchanges, fostering friendship, and guiding them to contribute to the motherland through various channels. ����"Outstanding officials should be sub-contracted to work in overseas Chinese work departments," the president urged. ����Premier Zhu Rongji sent a letter of congratulations for the opening of the meeting in which he praised the work done by those involved in links with overseas Chinese over the past 20 years. ���� ���� HomeNews 1999-01-19 Page1 Full Story in Chinese