Yu Anlin (left), leader of a Chinese organization in Russia, receives the nameplate of a service station for consular protection from Zhu Yugui, deputy director of Wenzhou's foreign affairs office on Feb 20. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

Wenzhou in East China's Zhejiang province, known for its large population living and working abroad, announced on Feb 20 that it will establish 20 service stations in 11 countries including the United States, France and Italy to provide consular protection for the diaspora of the city's former residents.

Zhu Yugui, deputy director of Wenzhou's foreign affairs office, explained that the stations will protect the legal interests and lives and property of overseas Chinese, and will assist the office or China's embassies and consulates in foreign countries to handle foreign-related issues, help people and institutes avoid potential risks, promote knowledge of consular protection among overseas Chinese, and communicate with and comfort people involved in foreign cases.

Wenzhou's foreign affairs office will join hands with Chinese associations in other countries to set up and operate these service stations. An official said the collaboration is an innovative attempt to improve the ties of the government and overseas associations and will better serve the high-quality development of Wenzhou's economy.

Yu Anlin, leader of a Chinese organization in Russia, accepted the task of running a service station for consular protection in the neighboring country. He said he felt a stronger sense of responsibility and would tell Wenzhou peers in Russia about the considerate services the city's government has offered to them.

The official figures showed that every year, there are over 1 million Wenzhou people entering and exiting China. To better serve outbound travelers and people residing abroad, the city has been constructing a grassroots system for consular protection which will include liaison offices in 134 towns and the newly established 20 overseas service stations.

In the future, the foreign affairs office in the city will further strengthen consular protection for Wenzhou people by completing the grassroots system. Meanwhile, officials hope their attempts will be summarized and improved, and promoted across the country.