On the morning of June 2, the 2026 Belt and Road Conference for Overseas Chinese Cooperation and Development, themed "Gathering the Strength of Overseas Chinese to Write a New Chapter of the Silk Road", kicked off in Chengdu. Secretary of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee and Chairman of the Standing Committee of Sichuan Provincial People's Congress Wang Xiaohui attended the opening ceremony; Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Chairman of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese (ACFROC) Wang Linggui delivered a speech; Deputy Secretary of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee and Governor of the People's Government of Sichuan Province Shi Xiaolin delivered a welcoming address; Chairperson of the Sichuan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Tian Xiangli attended the event.

In his speech, Wang Linggui said that the vast number of overseas Chinese are the inheritors of the ancient Silk Road spirit, as well as the witnesses, participants, contributors and beneficiaries of the Belt and Road cooperation. With the strong support from Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality, the ACFROC has built the Belt and Road Conference for Overseas Chinese Cooperation and Development as an event brand. The purpose is to thoroughly implement President Xi Jinping's important statements and instructions on advancing Belt and Road cooperation, to serve and guide the vast number of overseas Chinese to better participate in the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and to jointly write a new chapter of the Silk Road in the new era and on the new journey. He expressed the hope that everyone will anchor efforts in the 15th Five-Year Plan and act as "bridges and bonds" to promote new progress in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation through connectivity. He called on everyone to closely follow the high-standard opening-up and act as "pioneers" to break new ground for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation through mutual benefit. He also encouraged everyone to deepen civilizational exchanges and serve as "non-governmental envoys" to present new vistas in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation through mutual learning. The ACFROC will continue to uphold its commitment to serving national priorities, serving development, and serving overseas Chinese compatriots, acting as a "caring supporter, a pragmatic doer, and a core driving force". The ACFROC will pool superior resources, build cooperation platforms, carry forward the Silk Road spirit, and unite the strength of the overseas Chinese community. Such endeavors will continuously inject fresh momentum and make new contributions from overseas Chinese circles to further solidifying high-quality Belt and Road cooperation as well as promoting high-quality development and high-standard opening-up of Sichuan and Chongqing.

In her welcoming address on behalf of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee and the People's Government of Sichuan Province, Shi Xiaolin extended gratitude to the ACFROC and all sectors of society for their long-standing care and support for Sichuan's development. She noted that General Secretary Xi Jinping, balancing domestic and international imperatives, has planned and advanced high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. He profoundly pointed out that "overseas Chinese compatriots are imbued with fervent patriotism and possess robust economic strength, rich intellectual resources and extensive business networks, constituting an important force in realizing the Chinese Dream". Since ancient times, the Southern Silk Road has served as a channel for ancestors of the Shu region to go overseas. Since reform and opening up, numerous overseas Chinese have settled in Bashu out of deep affection for the land and made remarkable contributions to Sichuan's development. Currently, Sichuan is faithfully delivering the mission and task entrusted by General Secretary Xi Jinping to build "two highlands, two bases and one barrier", and is striving for a good start to the implementation of the 15th Five-Year Plan. Sichuan will better leverage the capital, wisdom and strength of overseas Chinese, foster a first-rate business environment that is market-oriented, law-based and internationalized, and fully support overseas Chinese compatriots in investing, doing business, innovating, launching startups and living comfortably in the province. Sichuan stands ready to work with all partners to promote high-quality industrial development, deeply integrate the province into efforts in building industrial clusters and strengthening industrial chains for key sectors, and jointly advance industrial, value, supply and talent chains toward the high-end segment. Sichuan is also ready to jointly promote efficient transformation of resource endowments, link local resources with domestic and international capital, technologies, management and brands to translate resource advantages into development momentum. Sichuan will work with all partners to advance high-standard opening-up, help more Sichuan-origin brands go global, attract greater inflows of overseas Chinese merchants and investment, and comprehensively enhance the development capacity of Sichuan's open economy. Sichuan is also willing to join hands with partners to create a high-quality, livable environment. Shi Xiaolin welcomes all guests to explore Splendid Tianfu, Comfortable Sichuan, experience the unique charm of Bashu culture, and share and depict the myriad prospects of Chinese modernization.

Pubu Dunzhu, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee and Director of the United Front Work Department of Sichuan, presided over the opening ceremony. At the opening ceremony, Shang Kui, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee and Director of the United Front Work Department of Chongqing, Kuok Khoon Hong, Honorary President of the China Federation of Overseas Chinese Entrepreneurs and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Singapore-based Wilmar International, and Lee Yin Yee, Chairman of the Board of Xinyi Group, delivered speeches in succession. The top ten exemplary cases of overseas Chinese contributing to Belt and Road cooperation were released, and representative projects were showcased on site.

Before the opening ceremony, Shi Xiaolin, Shang Kui and others met with Wang Linggui, Kuok Khoon Hong, and other domestic and international guests attending the conference.

Leaders from relevant provinces, officials from relevant ministries and departments of central and state organs, officials from relevant departments of Chongqing Municipality and relevant Sichuan provincial departments, as well as representatives from federations of returned overseas Chinese and overseas Chinese-related organizations of other provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities), and overseas Chinese entrepreneurs, enterprises and personages from home and abroad, attended the opening ceremony.