Shanghai’s overseas Chinese affairs center has opened its first branch — in Changning District — to better serve Chinese who hold foreign passports to live and work in the city.

The move is a result of a cooperation agreement between the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of Shanghai and the Changning District government.

The aim is to attract overseas Chinese to contribute to development of the city by improving the services offered to them.

The branch, located at the Shanghai Hongqiao One-Stop Service Center for Overseas Talents in Changning, will provide consultation on policies and procedures for overseas Chinese to work and live here.

This might include verification of their identities and those of their relatives, or children’s enrollment in local schools.

Changning will also be able to use “Shanghai Bridge,” the city’s special program for bringing in overseas talent, to publish its talent policies, recruiting advertisements or related messages.

The branch can also utilize the city office’s resources to encourage overseas Chinese to bring their startups to Changning.

Xu Li, director of the Shanghai Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, said more branches are planned for other districts.

“The first branch was set up in Changning as it hosts a lot of overseas Chinese,” said Xu. “In total, it has over 100,000 returned overseas Chinese.”

Both local enterprises and returning Chinese in the district are glad to see the new branch.

Rong He, chief executive of the engineering company Century 3, said nearly 50 senior executives at his company were returned overseas Chinese and they had found it troublesome to deal with such matters as application processing and children’s educational needs.

“We were not so clear about the policies and usually had to go to different government departments for consultation and application,” he said. “With the one-stop service branch, it will be convenient and efficient.”

Chengtie Wu, a professor at the Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, recalled his own experience five years ago when he came to work in Shanghai.

“The government had provided favorable policies for me as a member of Thousand Talents program, but I had no idea how to enjoy them upon my arrival,” he said.

“To enroll my baby to a local school alone, I spent several months. If there was such a one-stop service center then, it would have been much easier and more convenient.”

Xinhua News Agency Thursday published the full text of remarks made by Chinese President Xi Jinping when presiding over a symposium on poverty relief held in north China’s Shanxi Province on June 23.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, reiterated the need for joint efforts and precise measures to eradicate extreme poverty.

Areas suffering from abject poverty face the toughest job in poverty alleviation, Xi said.

There must be better support and more effective measures, Xi told the symposium.

China has set a target to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects by 2020, including complete eradication of poverty. The task becomes more difficult as the process nears its end.

“As long as we pay great attention, think correctly, take effective measures and work in a down-to-earth way, abject poverty is absolutely conquerable,” Xi said.

Xi raised a series of requirements on advancing the poverty alleviation effort in areas plagued by extreme poverty.

He said these areas must also meet the national target on eradicating poverty by 2020. Meanwhile, they need to be realistic in setting goals.

Local governments should take the lead in poverty relief with financial capital playing a coordinating role, Xi said, noting that newly added poverty relief funds will primarily be used in the most impoverished areas.

He said China must gather its forces nationwide to ensure the coverage of public services, infrastructure and basic medical services in these areas.

The president promised more residents living in extremely harsh natural environments will receive assistance to relocate, job posts such as forest rangers in ecologically vulnerable regions will be increased, and assistance will be stepped up for those who became impoverished due to medical reasons.

Impoverished areas should improve their economic development model by focusing on industries that will benefit the poor, such as specialty agriculture, labor-intensive manufacturing and services, Xi said.

He also asked developed regions in the country’s east and state entities to increase their assistance to the most impoverished areas, and encouraged the participation of the wider society.

Poverty relief in these areas should focus on empowering and stimulating the people and helping them develop basic job skills in non-agricultural industries, he said.

Local authorities should be strict and honest with poverty relief schedules and achievements, he said, adding that China will implement a strict evaluation system and insist on an annual reporting and supervision mechanism.

The full text of Xi’s remarks will also be carried in Friday’s Qiushi Journal, the flagship magazine of the CPC Central Committee.

Xiongan New Area in Hebei province sent out invitations across the country on Thursday to attract professional and technical leaders for its newly founded construction company, the first such practice since the central leadership unveiled the blueprint of the area in April.

The State-owned company – China Xiongan Construction & Investment Group Co Ltd – was set up on July 18, with a registered capital of 10 billion yuan ($1.5 billion).

Its business involves raising funds to construct houses and apartments, build transport links, energy infrastructure and public facilities, as well as to improve the environment and tourism development of Baiyangdian – a freshwater lake in Xiongan.

The company said it is looking for 23 professional and technical personnel at middle or advanced level to work in such fields as strategic research, planning and design, construction, environmental protection, finance, legal services and public relations.

All of the positions offered are at managerial level. The deadline to apply is Sept 6. Details are at www.ccthr.com/ch/xazp/xiongan.html.

“Applicants who are eager to participate in the area’s construction and development are welcome,” said a company announcement.

The announcement did not specify salaries for the positions. “I assume it won’t be bad, and possibly even be pretty attractive,” said an official surnamed Wang at the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei integrated development office of Hebei Development and Reform Commission.

Wang said the jobs also will be challenging because the new area has been given a lot of attention due to its national significance.

China announced the decision to set up Xiongan New Area on April 1 to advance the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

It is another area with national significance after the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone and the Shanghai Pudong New Area, which are testing grounds for the country’s reform and opening-up.

Top officials have said that to enhance the area’s attractiveness to top-level talent, it should develop with “people” being the core by improving public services, promoting social life and being equipped with superior resources.

Basic public services at Xiongan should be superior to those in Beijing and Tianjin so it can attract top talent, He Lifeng, head of the National Development and Reform Commission, has said.

To help Xiongan draw top international talent, the Hebei Provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security has rolled out special policies to attract high-level talent and innovative teams.

Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon here on Thursday, agreeing to establish comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

Applauding Tajikistan’s support for the Belt and Road Initiative, Xi said both sides should synergize the Belt and Road Initiative with Tajikistan’s national development strategy for the period up to 2030.

The two countries should cooperate more in transportation, energy, ports and network infrastructure development to improve all-round connectivity, Xi said.

The Chinese president suggested both sides break new ground in agriculture, industrial capacity cooperation and scientific innovation.

Xi encouraged Tajikistan to establish links with Chinese financial institutions, the Silk Road Fund and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, saying China is willing to work with Tajikistan to facilitate trade and investment.

As countries with great ancient civilization, China and Tajikistan can have more exchanges in culture, education and youth, according to Xi.

As rotating chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), China will work with Tajikistan for SCO progress in politics, the economy, security, culture cooperation and external exchanges, Xi said.

He said the SCO members should intensify partnerships in security, connectivity and trade, and foster an integrated development in the region.

Rahmon described China as a “good neighbor, partner and brother” and praised the close cooperation in politics, culture, trade and investment.

Tajikistan backs the Silk Road Economic Belt and will work with China to expand partnership in finance, agriculture, water resources, energy and mining, among others, Rahmon said.

He said Tajikistan looks forward to more coordination with China in regional and international affairs and more cooperation in law enforcement and security.

Rahmon said his country will give full support for China’s work as rotating chair of the SCO.

After the talks, the two heads of state signed a joint statement on establishing comprehensive strategic partnership.

China and Tajikistan agreed to jointly launch cross-border railway, road and natural gas pipeline projects, and explore cooperation in wind and solar energy, according to the joint statement.

Both sides will better share intelligence to fight the “evil forces” of terrorism, extremism and separatism, as well as cyber crime, drug smuggling and transnational organized crime, the joint statement said.

Tajikistan follows the one-China policy, opposes any form of Taiwan independence and supports the Chinese government’s effort to achieve national reunification, it said.

The two presidents also witnessed the signing of a series of cooperation documents, including a bilateral cooperation plan, and agreements on science, agriculture, energy, infrastructure, human resources and media.

Prior to the talks, Xi held a red-carpet welcome ceremony for Rahmon at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Also on Thursday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and top legislator Zhang Dejiang met with Rahmon respectively.

Rahmon is paying a state visit to China from Aug. 30 to Sept. 1 at the invitation of Xi. He will also attend the Dialogue of Emerging Markets and Developing Countries in Xiamen, a coastal city in southeastern China’s Fujian Province.

The first test-flight base for civilian drones opened in Shanghai on Thursday, according to the East China Regional Administration of Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

There are about 110 manufacturers of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in east China, nearly 30 percent of the national total, said Jiang Chunshui, Communist Party secretary of the administration.

East China also boasts 40,000 registered drones, more than one third of the national total, according to Jiang.

Private drones are popular in China and illegal drone activity has become a problem, especially at airports.

China has required civilian drones weighing more than 250 grams to be registered under real names from June 1. Over 120,000 drones have been registered, according to Ke Yubao, executive secretary of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of China.

“Drone users needs a test flight ground where they can learn the law and regulations,” said Ke.

The base is located at Qingpu district in western Shanghai. Drones are required to fly under 150 meters and all test flights are be monitored for safety.