China News Service, Tianjin, April 6th. Title: UAE Overseas Chinese Leader Yu Zengzhen: The destiny of overseas Chinese is closely connected with China
China News Agency reporter Zhang Daozheng
"As an overseas Chinese leader who has been overseas for more than 20 years, I deeply understand that the destiny of overseas Chinese is closely connected with China. Only when China is prosperous can the waists of overseas Chinese become stronger and can continuously make products made in China. Exported to countries all over the world." Yu Zengzhen, president of the UAE Tianjin Chamber of Commerce and Hometown Association, said with emotion when he was interviewed by a reporter from China News Agency in Tianjin on the 6th.
Yu Zengzhen worked in a large company in Tianjin in the 1980s.
In 1997, she discovered business opportunities during a travel investigation in the UAE. In 2000, she applied for leave without pay, and started to go to sea for business, and set up a company in Dubai, UAE, and traveled between China and UAE.
"My'flying visa' experience is the epitome of many overseas Chinese in the UAE." Yu Zengzhen said that most Chinese who came to the UAE in the early days generally had the experience of "flying visa". When leaving the country before the expiry date, the UAE government allows travel agencies to apply for a new tourist visa immediately after leaving the country, and then re-enter the country.
When efficiency is high, a new visa can be obtained in just a few hours.
Since tourist visas are more economical and convenient than long-term work visas, many overseas Chinese were working and living in Dubai on tourist visas, and used “flying visas” to extend the legality of their domestic status, especially many overseas Chinese who were engaged in freelance work.
Yu Zengzhen told reporters that the overseas Chinese who did business in the Dubai market in the early days were mainly "expatriates", and their products were mainly textiles, light industrial products, and mechanical and electrical products. After that, the scope expanded to other fields. The Chinese used their own hardships and stand hard work. , Gradually opened up in Dubai, Chinese-made series of brands entered the Dubai market, and were recognized by customers in the Middle East.
"Made in China was very popular in the Middle East in the 1990s, especially between 2000 and 2010, when China-Arab civil trade continued to reach its peak." Yu Zengzhen said that at that time, the profits of the Chinese business in Dubai could be "offset" with the purchase price of 200,000 yuan. Renminbi goods can be sold at a price of 200,000 dirhams (local currency), or at wholesale prices, and the exchange rate that year was as high as 2.35 (100 dirhams to 235 yuan), which also allowed many Chinese businessmen in Dubai to accumulate a lot of wealth .
Due to the trend, more and more Chinese people began to set foot in Dubai. In this way, the overseas Chinese in Dubai opened up a mature overseas Chinese-intensive area in the Deira area, from the mobile phone market to Nanfu Road in the north and Nasha Plaza in the south. The whole area of Musu Bazaar Market in the west and Yuzhuan Auto Parts Street in the east was the main activity area of overseas Chinese in those days.
Recalling his overseas entrepreneurship experience, Yu Zengzhen was full of emotion.
She said that after wandering overseas for more than 20 years, she deeply realized that the destiny of overseas Chinese is closely connected with China. After reform and opening up, China has realized the prosperity of the country and the strong people. Only by strengthening the waist of overseas Chinese can the products made in China continue to flow. Only when the land is exported to countries in the world can the pockets bulge up and speak confidently.
Because of this, overseas Chinese are highly concerned about any "turbulence" in China.
As the executive vice president of the UAE China Association for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification, Yu Zengzhen, together with other overseas Chinese leaders and Chinese businessmen, has always supported the great cause of national reunification while living abroad and caring about the motherland. She believes that the current international situation is facing "a major change that has not been seen in a century." It will never allow any force, any name, or any method to separate Taiwan from China. This is something that overseas Chinese will never agree to. The reunification of the motherland is the common aspiration and aspiration of the descendants of China and the Chinese at home and abroad.
During the new crown pneumonia epidemic, overseas Chinese in the UAE initiated an initiative to raise funds to jointly purchase anti-epidemic and protective equipment and donate them to Wuhan, a severely affected area.
As the president of the Tianjin Chamber of Commerce and the Association of the United Arab Emirates, Yu Zengzhen purchased medical supplies to donate to the Tianjin Red Cross at his own expense, and also donated RMB 100,000 to help fight the epidemic in his hometown and help the poor.
In June 2020, Yu Zengzhen was selected by the Tianjin Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese as the "Star of the Love of Overseas Chinese", and the UAE Tianjin Chamber of Commerce and Hometown Association was selected as the "Star of Overseas Chinese Love in the 2020 Campaign" by the Tianjin Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese ( Organization) representative.
"China has achieved significant results in the fight against the epidemic, fully demonstrating the Chinese spirit, China's strength, and China's responsibilities, and fully demonstrating the significant advantages of the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the socialist system with Chinese characteristics." Yu Zengzhen said, facing the epidemic, China's achievements and other countries The anti-epidemic performance is clear at a glance, and the right and wrong are self-evident.
"I believe that under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China, we will surely be able to win an overall victory in the fight against the epidemic."
2021 is the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, and it is also the first year for the implementation of the "14th Five-Year Plan" and the start of a new journey of building a modern socialist country in an all-round way.
Yu Zengzhen said that the UAE Tianjin Chamber of Commerce and fellow villagers will give full play to their advantages and strengthen economic and trade exchanges and cooperation with their hometown on the basis of extensive consultation, joint construction and sharing, and play a role as a bridge and link.
"Although the new crown epidemic in the UAE and the Middle East countries is very serious, travel bans, social isolation, and the movement of people have been extensively and severely restricted, and the industrial chain and supply chain have suffered unprecedented shocks, but we overseas Chinese firmly believe that the new crown After the epidemic, in the joint construction of the'Belt and Road', there will be a brand new situation and development opportunities." Yu Zengzhen said.
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