Shanghai established an innovative and entrepreneurial base and enterprise cluster in Yangpu District for overseas Chinese on Wednesday.

To attract investment and wisdom from overseas Chinese into innovation and startups, 16 such facilities have been established previously across China on the initiative of the State Council, which are all named as “Qiao Meng Yuan” or garden of overseas Chinese — dreams in Chinese language.

“Overseas Chinese have a thorough knowledge of both Western and Chinese society and can play the role as a bridge to link China and the whole world,” Qiu Yuanping, director of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, said at the opening ceremony.

“They have rich resources and also demands in terms of innovation and entrepreneurship,” she added. “By establishing Qiao Meng Yuan, we hope to provide precise and thoughtful service and support for them.”

Qiao pointed out that Yangpu was a national demonstration base for innovation and entrepreneurship, with plenty of universities and scientific and technological parks, as well as startup incubators and accelerators, and it could integrate its resources to build itself into an influential innovation center for overseas Chinese.

Xie Jiangang, deputy governor of Yangpu, said the district would take full advantage of educational and scientific talents resources, public services, financing system and piloting favorable policies to provide one-stop support for overseas Chinese.

Several overseas Chinese, who have successfully started businesses or are running companies in China, were invited to form an advisory committee for future overseas Chinese entrepreneurs.