BEIJING - More than 3,200 people attended the opening ceremony of the Ninth National Congress of Returned Overseas Chinese and their Relatives in Beijing on Monday.

President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang and senior leaders Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli joined representatives from government organs, democratic parties, people with no party affiliation, congress delegates and overseas Chinese guests at the ceremony.

In a speech at the ceremony, Vice President Li Yuanchao expressed his congratulations to the meeting and extended his greetings to returned overseas Chinese, Chinese people living abroad and workers with the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese (AFROC).

Such people are a treasured resource for the building of socialism with Chinese characteristics and an important force for achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, according to Li.

To realize the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation, all Chinese people, at home or abroad, should strive together, he said, calling on overseas Chinese to carry on their patriotic tradition and contribute to safeguarding national unity, push forward China's reunification, promote Chinese culture and strengthen friendship between Chinese people and people of other countries.

Overseas Chinese have unique advantages in financial and technological resources as well as knowledge, and these can be used in introducing trade and technical cooperation projects and investments in emerging industries, attracting overseas talents and expanding Chinese enterprises' overseas market, Li said.

He also urged the AFROC and its local branches to better unite returned overseas Chinese and provide better services for them.

A decision to honor models of returned overseas Chinese was also announced at the congress.