Dear overseas compatriots:

Homesickness never fades away. On the occasion of the 12th "Zhongshan Overseas Chinese Day", on behalf of the Zhongshan Municipal Party Committee, the Zhongshan People's Government and 6 million people in our hometown, we would like to extend our most sincere greetings to millions of Zhongshan overseas Chinese living across the world! We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all of you for your long-term care and support for the construction and development of our hometown!

On October 9 this year, General Secretary Xi Jinping noted in his keynote speech to commemorate the 110th anniversary of the Revolution of 1911 that "to remember the historical contributions of Dr Sun Yat-sen and other revolutionary pioneers, we should learn and carry forward their unswerving commitment to national rejuvenation, and inspire and unite all Chinese people at home and abroad to fight for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation". We feel deeply honored and a strong sense of responsibility to be one of the people in the hometown of Dr Sun Yat-sen, a great national hero, a great patriot, and a great forerunner of China's democratic revolution.

Looking back on the development and opening up of Zhongshan in the past century, it is a history of close cooperation with the overseas Chinese. You overseas Chinese devoted yourselves to the development of the hometown, making Zhongshan a famous "national hometown of overseas Chinese", manifested by Zhongshan Overseas Chinese Secondary School, the Yang Guo Enci Building of Zhongshan People's Hospital, Su Huazan Hospital among others. Since the reform and opening-up, in particular, you overseas Chinese have always been tied to the hometown, wholeheartedly helping the construction, and working side by side with the hometown people, which had won Zhongshan the reputation of one of "Four Tigers in Guangdong" and written a wonderful chapter of the history in connecting the past with the future. When the COVID-19 pandemic savaged the world at the beginning of last year, you overseas Chinese overcame all kinds of difficulties to help and guard the safety of hometown people by raising money and materials in urgent need with enormous love and affections to home and country. On behalf of the people in our hometown, we send our greatest respect to you!

At present, Zhongshan embraces its new historical development opportunities. The construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Hengqin and Qianhai Cooperation Zones, which General Secretary Xi Jinping has personally planned, deployed and promoted, is in full swing. The Guangdong Provincial Party Committee and the People's Government of Guangdong Province have attached great importance to the development of Zhongshan. Li Xi, secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee, urged Zhongshan to become a supporting point for the integrated development of the east and west banks of the Pearl River, a hub city of the coastal economic belt, and an important pivot of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, which gave us a tremendous lift. Zhongshan is located in the geographical important center of the Greater Bay Area. The Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge to be completed by 2024, will shorten the journey between Zhongshan and Shenzhen to less than half an hour. It will serve as a key path for Zhongshan to be connected with Shenzhen and Hong Kong, and it is also the broad road for Zhongshan to further open up. We always adhere to the guidance of the Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, vigorously carry forward the reform spirit of Zhongshan people who are courageous to plan, venture and pioneer, and strive to create a first-class urban environment and business environment, so as to accelerate the high-quality rising of Zhongshan. Zhongshan is becoming a fertile ground for investment and a stage for innovation and entrepreneurship with unlimited opportunities and potential for development in the future!

Tree thousands of feet high roots deeply in the earth, and love for Zhongshan connects hearts from the whole world. At the time when Zhongshan takes off again, we are eagerly looking forward to your return to the hometown. We are looking forward to gathering by the Lingdingyang Bay and at the foot of Wuguishan Mountain to enjoy Shiqi Pigeon and Tuwei Rose Wine! We sincerely hope that all overseas compatriots will return home to do investment and business here. We will work together to share development opportunities and create a better tomorrow!

We wish all overseas Chinese friends good health, happy families and prosperous careers!

Sincerely yours,

Guo Wenhai, Secretary of the Zhongshan Municipal Party Committee

Xiao Zhanxin, Mayor of Zhongshan People's Government

November 10, 2021

致中山籍海外侨胞的一封信

亲爱的侨胞朋友们：

悠悠赤子心，浓浓故乡情。在第12个“中山华侨活动日”到来之际，我们谨代表中山市委、市政府和600万家乡人民，对旅居世界各地的百万中山籍侨胞致以最诚挚的问候！对大家长期以来给予家乡建设发展的关心支持表示最衷心的感谢！

今年10月9日，习近平总书记在纪念辛亥革命110周年大会重要讲话中指出，“缅怀孙中山先生等革命先驱的历史功勋，就是要学习和弘扬他们为振兴中华而矢志不渝的崇高精神，激励和团结海内外全体中华儿女为实现中华民族伟大复兴而共同奋斗”。作为伟大的民族英雄、伟大的爱国主义者、中国民主革命的伟大先驱孙中山先生家乡的人民，我们既感到无上光荣，更倍感责任重大。

回望百年中山发展史、开放史，就是一部与广大侨胞心心相连、水乳交融的历史。广大侨胞为了家乡的发展倾情付出，中山华侨中学、人民医院杨郭恩慈大楼、苏华赞医院……成就了中山“全国侨乡”的美名。特别是改革开放以来，广大侨胞心系桑梓、情牵故乡，全心全意助力家乡建设，与家乡人民并肩奋斗，为中山赢得了 “广东四小虎”的赫赫威名，谱写了承前启后、继往开来的精彩华章。去年初，新冠肺炎疫情突如其来，广大侨胞关山万里、守望相助，募款捐物、雪中送炭，奉献无疆大爱，饱含家国情怀。我们代表家乡人民向你们致以最崇高的敬意！

当前，中山发展迎来新的重大历史机遇。习近平总书记亲自谋划、亲自部署、亲自推动的粤港澳大湾区和横琴、前海两个合作区建设正如火如荼推进。广东省委、省政府高度重视中山的发展，省委书记李希要求中山建设成为珠江东西两岸融合发展支撑点、沿海经济带枢纽城市、粤港澳大湾区重要一极，给予我们极大的鼓舞。中山地处粤港澳大湾区地理几何中心，2024年前通车的“深中通道”一桥飞架，将中山与深圳车程缩短至半小时以内，这是中山拥抱深圳、香港的光明大道、黄金大道，是中山进一步开放的康庄大道。我们始终坚持以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，大力弘扬中山人敢想敢闯、敢为人先的改革精神，倾力打造一流的城市环境、一流的营商环境，推动中山加快高质量崛起。中山未来发展机遇无限、潜力无限，正成为投资兴业的沃土、创新创业的舞台！

木高千尺根脉相接，情系中山四海相连。在中山再次腾飞之时，热切期待各位侨胞朋友回家乡参观考察，我们相聚伶仃洋畔、五桂山下，共尝石岐乳鸽、共品荼薇美酒！诚挚期盼各位侨胞朋友回家乡投资兴业，我们同心同向、一起奋斗，共享发展机遇、共创美好明天！

衷心祝愿各位侨胞朋友身体健康、家庭幸福、事业兴旺！

中共中山市委书记：郭文海

中山市人民政府市长：肖展欣

2021年11月10日