On the evening of September 23, 2016 local time, Premier Li Keqiang and his wife Mme. Cheng Hong, who were visiting Montreal, attended and addressed a welcome banquet held by overseas Chinese in Canada. More than 800 representatives of overseas Chinese from different sectors from Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and Montreal, as well as representatives of the Canadian government attended the welcome banquet.

There are more than 1.5 million overseas Chinese in Canada, making it the largest minority group in the country. Chinese is the third most widely-used language in Canada.

Amidst powerful drumbeats and cheerful lion dances, fellow Chinese compatriots warmly welcomed Li Keqiang and his wife, and shook hands as well as took photos with them one after another.

The welcome banquet started with the national anthems of China and Canada. All guests stood up and saluted in a solemn and warm ambience. Head of Chinese Benevolent Association of Vancouver, on behalf of overseas Chinese from different sectors in Canada, delivered an impassioned speech to welcome Premier Li Keqiang. He said that the visit will vigorously promote the development of China-Canada relations and that China's development achievements make all fellow Chinese compatriots proud.

In enthusiastic applauses and eager expectations, Li Keqiang delivered a speech. He firstly offered warm greetings and best wishes to overseas Chinese in Canada on behalf of the Chinese government. Li Keqiang said that he felt quite at home seeing the traditional Chinese lion dances and red lanterns when walking into the banquet hall today. The warmest is the people from homeland. For a long time, overseas Chinese in Canada have taken in the fine qualities of the Chinese nation, namely diligence, wisdom, tenacity and inclusiveness, constantly striven for improvement and endured hardship, which not only brings them successful careers and makes positive contributions to the development of the Canadian economy and society and the prosperity of its multi-culture, but also lays an indispensable foundation for the friendship between China and Canada.

Li Keqiang introduced China's current economic situation and development prospect to attending guests. He emphasized that China's economy, which is at the crucial stage of structural transformation and upgrading as well as undergoing transition between old and new economic drivers, provides vast opportunities for fellow compatriots to develop business in China. The Chinese government welcomes overseas Chinese to set up business in China, and will improve incentives policies, protect their legal rights with more refined laws and regulation, build platforms to attract investment and talents, and offer more services to the development causes of overseas Chinese.

Li Keqiang stressed that "even if my body is cut into millions of pieces and scattered around a mountain top, all of them will still gaze at my hometown." Whether in terms of development opportunities or business environment, fellow compatriots can stay confident to expanding business in China. It is hoped that overseas Chinese will not only invest money but also talents in order to bring new impetus for China's innovative development.

Premier Li Keqiang's speech aroused strong resonance from the guests who repeatedly burst into warm and non-stopping applauses. The banquet successfully ended in the sonorous melody of Ode to the Motherland.