Chinese President Hu Jintao Wednesday called on Chinese students abroad to contribute more wisdom and strength to the all-round construction of a better-off society in their motherland.

Hu, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said students studying abroad should link their fate with that of the CPC and the Chinese nation, keep pace with the times, study harder still and work whole-heartedly for the service of their country.

Hu made these remarks while addressing a ceremony marking the 90th anniversary of the Western Returned Students Association (WRSA) in the Great Hall of the People.

The WRSA boasts more than 11,000 members across the globe and the event attracted high-ranking officials like Jia Qinglin, Zeng Qinghong and Huang Ju, all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, the CPC's top decision-making body.

Speaking highly of the tremendous contributions made by returned students through China's history, the president said practice had proved that students returning from overseas had lofty ambitions to contribute to the motherland, to the people and to the Chinese nation.

Students returning from overseas were China's valuable assets, an important component part of China's human resources and a vital force propelling China's social development and rejuvenation, Hu acknowledged.

The Chinese government encouraged its young people to go abroad for education and learn advanced science and technology from other countries as an important way to foster qualified personnel.

The Chinese central government had decided to implement the strategy of building up and invigorating the country through training more gifted people, he said, adding this would create more opportunities for returned students to explore their careers.

Hu also urged CPC committees and governments at all levels to realize the major significance of helping returned students, calling on them to conscientiously implement the relevant policies and attract more students to participate in domestic construction or to serve the country in a variety of ways.

The ceremony, attracting more than 3,000 members of the WRSA, was presided over by WRSA president Ding Shisun, who is also vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People Congress (NPC).

WRSA vice-president Han Qide, vice-chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, delivered a working report, saying that the WRSA would organize more students studying abroad to return to serve their country in varied ways, and contribute more to the building of a better-of society in their motherland.

On Wednesday, the WRSA also sponsored a forum on career prospects for students abroad.

(Xinhua News Agency October 8, 2003)