Overseas Chinese talent conference for development underway in east China

The opening ceremony of First Overseas Chinese Talent Conference for Development is held in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Dec. 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

FUZHOU, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- The First Overseas Chinese Talent Conference for Development kicked off Wednesday in the city of Fuzhou, east China's Fujian Province.

More than 1,000 guests from 37 countries and regions are participating in the conference, and will conduct exchanges and engage in cooperation concerning overseas Chinese talent and economic development in key fields, according to the organizers of the event.

The conference, jointly hosted by the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese and the provincial government of Fujian, will run until Friday.

During the event, a series of activities, including academic exchanges and exhibitions on the fruits of innovation, are scheduled to take place.

Fuzhou is well-known for being the hometown of a large number of Chinese who now reside abroad. According to statistics, there are more than 4.3 million overseas Chinese from Fuzhou currently living in over 170 countries and regions.

In recent years, Fuzhou has been optimizing the business environment for overseas Chinese. Since 2022, Fuzhou has introduced 17 projects involving overseas Chinese, with a total contracted foreign investment totaling 531 million U.S. dollars.

Visitors walk out of the venue of the Career Fair of the First Overseas Chinese Talent Conference for Development in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Dec. 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

People visit the Career Fair of the First Overseas Chinese Talent Conference for Development in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Dec. 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

This aerial photo taken on Dec. 20, 2023 shows a view of the Fuzhou Strait International Conference & Exhibition Center, the venue for the First Overseas Chinese Talent Conference for Development in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

Participants walk in the venue of the First Overseas Chinese Talent Conference for Development in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Dec. 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

Job seekers consult with employers during the Career Fair of the First Overseas Chinese Talent Conference for Development in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Dec. 20, 2023. The event is expected to provide over 20,000 job vacancies. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

Job seekers view information during the Career Fair of the First Overseas Chinese Talent Conference for Development in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Dec. 20, 2023. The event is expected to provide over 20,000 job vacancies. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

Job seekers consult with an employer during the Career Fair of the First Overseas Chinese Talent Conference for Development in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Dec. 20, 2023. The event is expected to provide over 20,000 job vacancies. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

Job seekers consult with an employer during the Career Fair of the First Overseas Chinese Talent Conference for Development in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Dec. 20, 2023. The event is expected to provide over 20,000 job vacancies. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)