The Third World Conference on Overseas Chinese and Chinese Business opened in Beijing on 30 October. Shi Taifeng, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the United Front Work Department, attended the opening ceremony. He said that China's economic and social development has made historic achievements and historic changes, and that the fundamentals of long-term positive conditions have not changed. More than 400 overseas Chinese representatives from more than 400 countries and regions around the world attended the conference.