Exhibition hails contribution of 'unsung' overseas Chinese

Among those people who attended the founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China on Oct 1, 1949, there were many overseas Chinese who had, in different ways, contributed to the nation's independence and the birth of New China, such as Tan Kah-kee (Chen Jiageng), an entrepreneur active in Southeast Asia and a leader of overseas Chinese communities, and Luo Lang, who returned from Malaysia and conducted the army orchestra at the ceremony.

An ongoing exhibition at the National Museum of China (through Nov 29) looks in detail at the devotion of overseas Chinese in contributing to the progress of their ancestral home, starting from the Xinhai Revolution that ended China's feudal monarchy in 1911.

Nearly 300 exhibits, including photos, letters, diaries, badges, historic documents and daily-use objects, are largely from the collection of the Overseas Chinese History Museum of China, while some were donated to the National Museum.