A gathering to celebrate the Western Returned Scholars Association's 110th anniversary is held in Beijing on Saturday. [Photo/Xinhua]

President Xi Jinping has called on the Western Returned Scholars Association to rally talent from around the world and pool the strength of creativity for the development of the cause of the Communist Party of China and the country.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remark on Saturday in a congratulatory letter to the association, which is celebrating the 110th anniversary of its founding.

In his letter, Xi, on behalf of the CPC Central Committee, expressed warm congratulations to the association and extended sincere greetings to overseas Chinese students and scholars as well as workers providing services for them.

Xi also expressed appreciation for the association's contribution in uniting overseas Chinese students and scholars, calling on the association to continue to play its role as a talent pool in serving the country, a think tank of good ideas and proposals and a vital force in people-to-people diplomacy.

In the letter, Xi said he hopes that overseas Chinese students and scholars will carry forward their patriotic tradition, serve the people, stay confident, break new ground and forge ahead, and maintain an open and inclusive mind to promote exchanges and mutual learning between China and other countries.

A gathering to celebrate the association's 110th anniversary was held in Beijing on Saturday. Wang Hu-ning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the nation's top political advisory body, addressed the event.

Wang expressed his hope that overseas Chinese students and scholars will keep Xi's requirements in mind, and called on the association to better rally the students and scholars around the Party.

Shi Taifeng, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, read out Xi's letter at the gathering.