Zhang Zhaohong: Beijing’s Golden Autumn Tour (1) —- Great Hall of the People

Zhang Zhaohong: Beijing’s Golden Autumn Tour (1) —- Great Hall of the People, Phoenix Zhang Zhaohong This year is the 60th anniversary of the founding of the China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, and the celebration was held...

Phoenix Zhang Zhaohong This year marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, and the celebration was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. A total of four Chinese in Arizona were invited to attend the conference. Among them, Yang Wentian was a representative of the Chinese Overseas Chinese Federation and left one day in advance. The other three were recommended by the Consulate General in Los Angeles. They were Li Jian, president of the Overseas Chinese Federation of Arizona, Deng Hongyue, president of the Phoenix Overseas Chinese Federation, and Zhang Zhaohong, president of the Chinese Welfare Association. Because Li Jian, Deng Hongyue and Yuan Yahua, president of the Chinese Association of Alberta, were to host the National Day celebrations for Chinese people in Alberta, I had to complete my own tasks on the afternoon of September 24. I did not have time to attend the welcome dinner for Consul General Liu Jian and the National Day ceremony and cultural evening, so I hurriedly embarked on the journey. The opening ceremony was held on the afternoon of September 26. Due to the rush of time and tight air tickets, as well as transfers and waiting, it took almost thirty hours to get from Phoenix to Beijing. Due to the time difference, it was already 6 a.m. on the 26th when we arrived in Beijing, and it was still raining. After leaving the customs, we went from the Capital Airport to the China World Hotel in Beijing, and encountered the rush hour for work. The whole journey from the Fifth Ring Road to the Third Ring Road was less than thirty kilometers, and the congestion phenomenon followed us like a lingering traffic jam, and we walked for another two hours. After arriving at the hotel, he fell into the bathtub and fell asleep. It wasn't until three o'clock in the afternoon that I went to the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to attend the celebration meeting in formal attire. Two thousand people from more than 160 countries and regions around the world participated in this celebration, and more than 700 of them were arranged to take photos with national leaders. We, the representatives recommended by the consulates of various countries, are very honorable. The first row is for national leaders and veteran overseas Chinese leaders. We are arranged in the middle of the third row, so we can clearly see the friendly faces of national leaders. The opening ceremony was attended by national leaders such as Yu Zhengsheng, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Liu Qibao, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Propaganda of the CPC Central Committee, Li Yuanchao, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the State, Shen Yueyue, Vice Chairman of the National People's Congress, State Councilor Yang Jiechi, Li Haifeng, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and Chairman Yu Zhengsheng delivered an important speech. Lin Jun, member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and chairman of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, delivered a speech, and representatives of returned overseas Chinese and people's organizations spoke. Chairman Yu Zhengsheng expressed warm congratulations on the convening of the conference, and expressed his high respect and cordial greetings to the participating representatives and the vast number of returned overseas Chinese and overseas Chinese, as well as to the older generation of cadres of the Overseas Chinese Federation and workers of the Overseas Chinese Federation at all levels. He said that the vast number of returned overseas Chinese, their family members and overseas Chinese are important forces in promoting my country's modernization and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. They have long upheld the fine tradition of patriotism and hometown, enthusiastically supported China's revolution, construction, and reform undertakings, actively promoted the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, and made important contributions to the development, reunification and national rejuvenation of the motherland. There will be a special report on the second day. I have had the experience of coming to Beijing twice for meetings before, and I know that these scholars and leaders are the wise men of the country. Their speeches can open people's minds and allow them to hear theories that ordinary people have never heard of. They analyze the current situation of the country from political, economic, diplomatic, and military aspects. Elaborate on the "two centenary" goals of the "Chinese Dream": by the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China in 2021 and the 100th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in 2049, the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will be gradually and ultimately successfully achieved. The masters also mentioned that only when the people have a sense of security can they have a sense of credibility, only when the people have faith can the country be strong, and reform can even be used to accept the wishes of the people, and problems in development can be solved by faster development, etc. Only when the country is peaceful can the people be safe. Therefore, in international relations, China adheres to the path of peaceful development, does not carry the flag or expands, and sincerely makes friends with other countries for mutual benefit and win-win results. But China will not sacrifice its national interests. Differences are acceptable but must be managed. But these can ultimately only be achieved by relying on national strength, so development is the last word. A few years ago, the United States still believed that China's GDP would not catch up with the United States until 2050. However, China's national conditions are different. It has the will of the country and the support of the people. Therefore, the country is stable, the economic growth is stable, and the GDP soon rose to the second place in the world. But we should also clearly realize that China still has 200 million poor civilians, and its GDP per capita ranks only 80th in the world. Therefore, national rejuvenation comes first, and we must dig out the roots of poverty without interrupting development. The Chinese Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese has celebrated its 60th anniversary, and the 60th anniversary has begun again. The Chinese Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese still has a long way to go, facing the country and the nation, and making new contributions to achieve the two centenary goals. Beijing can see blue sky and white clouds in the golden autumn. On the eve of the National Day, Tiananmen Square was magnificent. I took some photos with my mobile phone as a souvenir. At noon on the 27th, I am going to visit the "Overseas Chinese History Museum". The museum collects three books about the history of the Chinese in Alberta that I have written. On the afternoon of the 27th, we will also go to the Great Hall of the People in Beijing for the second time to attend the state banquet celebrating the 67th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.