Overseas Chinese people are happy to see the rapid development of their motherland and hope to make their own contributions to the prosperity of the country.

"We are backed by our motherland, and the close ties with our compatriots in China can never be undermined no matter how far we go," said Han Jun, head of an overseas Chinese organization based in Kenya.

"I have been working in the overseas Chinese community for more than 20 years. I will continue to convey the voice from China with other community leaders in Kenya and Africa, consolidate China-Africa relations, and keep a good image as a Chinese," Han said.

Leaders of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government extended their congratulations to overseas Chinese at the opening ceremony of a meeting of returned overseas Chinese on Wednesday in Beijing. It was attended by nearly 1,300 returned overseas Chinese and their relatives as well as more than 700 overseas Chinese from more than 110 countries.

President Xi Jinping, together with many other leaders, attended the ceremony.

No matter where they are or how far they have traveled, the safety and happiness of overseas Chinese will always be a top concern for their homeland, according to the Party and government leaders.

Andrei Xu, who moved to Russia two decades ago with his parents, said he is so proud to watch the rapid development of China from overseas.

The 38-year-old restaurant owner in Moscow said he is glad to see relations between China and Russia become closer. Under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, more Chinese tourists visited Russia in recent years, which is improving his business.

"The education about Chinese culture in my family never stopped and I told Chinese bedtime stories to my daughter, because I think whatever country we are living in, the feeling of belonging to China defined who we are," Xu said.

Jane Lu, 29, a Chinese music teacher in London, said she is touched by how the Chinese government always cares very much about the lives of Chinese people living overseas.

"I think about my home in China very much, and I am very proud to see that China is becoming more influential internationally," said Lu, who originally came to London to study, and has since decided to stay and open her own music school here.

She said that her love for China has instilled in her a hope of one day being able to contribute to China in her field, perhaps by forming music sector partnerships between China and the UK.

"This is a dream I have, and I would be proud to contribute toward China's development in my own way".