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Returned Overseas Chinese Rights Protected

China is stepping up efforts to protect the legal rights of returned overseas Chinese, and the central government has issued a regulation in this regard.

The regulation, issued by the State Council, China's cabinet, took effect on July 1. It orders all local governments at the county level and above to pay special attention to the legal rights of returned overseas Chinese and their relatives.

"Local governments and related departments should help them settle down, according to relevant regulations of the nation," the regulation said.

It requires local governments to lend support to returned overseas Chinese and their relatives if they invest in developing waste mountains, waste land, and beach land according to law, or if they take up agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fisheries activities.

"Local governments and related departments should also give support to them when they set up public welfare undertakings, and ensure that their legal rights are protected by law," it said.

The All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese and its local organizations should act independently to protect the legal rights of returned overseas Chinese and their relatives, according to the regulation.

"If their legal rights are infringed upon, they have the right to ask the related government departments to investigate in accordance with the law, or the right to go to court," it said.