China is planning to make an addition to the law on Overseas Chinese to encourage them to play a greater role in promoting the reunification of China, according to a legislative forum concluded in Beijing January 20.

The draft amendment was proposed by the meeting attended by more than 70 officials from the Overseas Affairs Committees of local people's congresses and related departments.

Li Peng, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, told the meeting on Tuesday that legislation on overseas Chinese affairs should better serve to protect their legitimate rights and interests and those of their family members in China, and encourage them to promote national reunification.

The meeting held by the NPC Overseas Chinese Affairs Committee has been discussing amendments to the 1990 law on protecting the rights and interests of returned overseas Chinese and their family dependents.

According to Xu Huizi, vice-chairman of the NPC Overseas Chinese Affairs Committee, there are 30 million Chinese citizens living abroad, and another 30 million returned overseas Chinese and their family dependents.

With the country opening wider to the outside world and having more international contacts, there will be even more Chinese moving abroad, and they will play a greater role in the development of the motherland, he said.

"Their role in promoting national reunification will become more obvious," he said.

Legally, overseas Chinese are Chinese citizens living abroad, and they should be entitled to the rights of the Constitution of China and laws applicable to other Chinese, and be held accountable for the same responsibilities defined for others.

"Their opinions and suggestions should thus be absorbed and taken into consideration during the course of legislation," the lawmaker said.

According to the meeting, more specific legal consequences for violating the rights and interests of returned overseas Chinese and their family dependents have been provided in the draft amendments to the law.

Xu also encouraged local legislatures to explore new ways to protect overseas Chinese and speed up national legislation in this regard.