A reception was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Wednesday night to mark the 61st anniversary of the founding of New China, which falls on October 1.

Jia Qinglin, Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang, all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, joined 3,500 guests, including representatives of overseas Chinese and compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, at the reception.

Addressing the reception, Jia, who is also chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said the country had gained great achievements over the past 61 years and overseas Chinese, along with the compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, have made remarkable contributions to the prosperity of the motherland.

He pledged that the Central Government would firmly stick to its basic policies in Hong Kong and Macao to maintain the long-term development and stability of the two special administrative regions.

The cross-Straits ties between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan were enhanced with a series of new and important achievements over the past year. The mainland would adhere to the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations and continue to promote mutual political trust, exchanges, common sentiments and Chinese culture among compatriots on both sides of the Straits, Jia said.

The Chinese Government would continue to protect the legitimate rights and interests of overseas Chinese through legal means, Jia said.

(Xinhua News Agency September 30, 2010)