Photo provided to GDToday
The 13th World Conference of Shunde opened in Hong Kong on March 26. More than 800 villagers from over 20 countries and regions across 5 continents gathered together.
Shunde is a well-known hometown of overseas Chinese, with more than 500,000 Hong Kong and Macao compatriots and overseas villagers. There are also nearly 90 Shunde Chambers of Commerce and overseas associations.
The World Shunde Friendship Association has been holding the World Conference of Shunde every two years since 1995. The theme of this year is "Fellowship with the world, strive forward with one heart".
It's worth mentioning that this is the first time that the conference has set up two venues, Hong Kong and Shunde. It is also the second time in 24 years that Hong Kong has hosted the Shunde overseas affairs event.
"Shunde is a city of inclusiveness and diversity, a land of sentiment and righteousness and a hometown where everyone could come back as they want, stay as they wish. We will maintain communication with Hong Kong and Macao compatriots and overseas villagers, creating better opportunities for everyone to participate in hometown construction." Liu Zhiyong, the Deputy Secretary of the Foshan Municipal Party Committee and Secretary of the Shunde District Party Committee, welcomes the new generation of overseas villagers to come home often and hopes that all compatriots and overseas villagers will continue to support the development of the hometown, promoting Shunde to be the most friendly and strong manufacturing district.
During the conference, 12 Shunde villagers were awarded the medal of Shunde Honorary Able Villager.
"This conference is of great significance to Hong Kong and Shunde to tell the stories of both cities." Leung Kwan-yuen, one of the Shunde villagers and the President of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, thinks that the World Conference of Shunde is the bridge between Shunde and the rest of the world. He hopes to find more opportunities for cooperation through communication and interaction.