In the first year of the new century, Foshan overcame the difficulties brought by the global economic downturns, and stepped forward on the right track of development. The city maintains healthy and sustainable growth momentum, with achievements in comprehensive social progress and the further enhancement of the overall strength. As the economy develops, reforms widen, environment improves, science and education advance, Foshan people's livelihood is dramatically improved and the city appears prosperous, thriving and jubilant. Last year, Foshan's GDP surpassed the 100 billion RMB target, accounting for 1/10 of Guangdong Province's total and 1/100 of the nation's. The city's GDP per capita exceeded 30,000 RMB and the gross tax revenue of Foshan took up 1/70 of the nation's total. All the these achievements lay a sound foundation for the implementation of the tenth nine-five plan and represent a step forward in the city's spearheading in the realization of the socialistic modernization drive.

    Today, an all-round and diversified pattern of reform and opening up has been formed in Foshan. Globalization of the construction funds and commodity market is being gradually realized. One third of the city's construction funds came from overseas and over one fourth of the industrial products realized their value in the global markets. The city's export covers more than 100 countries and regions.

    Today, Foshan, a historically famous city, is full of vitality with her excellent investment environment, sufficient infrastructure network, accelerating pace in the urbanization and an efficient transport system with good access to road, rail, sea and air links as well as the information construction ahead of others. At present, a communication network has been formed dominated by broadband optical fiber and digital microwave transmission, with the SPC switch as the core. The network features a combination of cable and wireless communication, with the basic services and value-added services complementing each other. The three key networks of telephone, computer data and cable television have covered the whole urban and rural areas. Optical fiber has been used in the villages and every building of the city. The city's Internet broadband is capable of transmitting 2.5G data. And the value-added users mainly using Internet exceed 430 thousand.

    Today, Foshan boasts more than one million overseas Chinese, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan compatriots of Foshan origin. Although you are now living in other parts of the world, you still keep in mind your motherland and are full of love for your hometown and its people. You play an important role as a bridge in the process of Foshan's further engagement in the world, in strengthening the cooperation and communication with other countries and regions and also in Foshan's introduction of foreign capital, export and exchanges with other countries and regions. Foshan's current achievements in economy are inseparable from the efforts made by the overseas Chinese, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan compatriots. I would like to avail myself of this opportunity to express our heartfelt thanks to all the overseas Chinese, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan compatriots of Foshan origin, and by the courtesy of you, to those overseas Chinese and foreign friends who have shown concerns and support to Foshan's construction and development.

    The wheel of history has been driven into Year 2002. For China, Year 2002 is a promising year. With China's entry into WTO, she is going to participate in all fields in the international cooperation and competition. For Foshan city, it is a significant year as the city is accelerating its pace to take the lead in basically achieving modernization, and to boost its economic growth and social progress. Today, facing the information revolution and economic globalization, Foshan will have closer ties with the rest of the world and higher standards are to be set up for its opening up to the outside world. On the fresh historical starting point, Foshan is marching with vigorous strides towards a more open and more prosperous future. In order to achieve an open and thriving economy of Foshan, the vast Chinese compatriots overseas and in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan are called for, as always, to make full use of their own advantages and favorable conditions, to furnish greater support and assistance. Among you, there are professionals of various fields, who are not only conversant with the operation of global market economy, but familiar with the traditional culture of the hometown as well. These will furnish you with the unique predominance to develop business in hometown. The common historical origin and carving-out spirit will enable us to join together. I am fully convinced that our Chinese compatriots overseas and in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan will find in this dear soil, their hometown, a lot of opportunities for their business development. We cordially welcome our Chinese compatriots overseas and in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan to start or develop their business in Foshan in any forms, visiting relatives and friends, or touring and sightseeing. Let's join hand in hand to make a new grand blueprint, and to create a brighter future!