Construction on a national museum on history for overseas Chinese, the first ever of its kind to be built in the country, is expected to start in the national capital at the end of the year, said a source with the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese on Monday.

The museum, to cover an area of 10,000 square meters, will display more than 200,000 pieces of exhibits, including relics and pictures, to tell the history of overseas Chinese's pioneering work aboard, their sentiments for the Chinese nation as well as their tremendous contribution to the national development, said Zhang Jian, director of the office engaged in preparations for the construction project.

Lin Mingjiang, vice chairman of the federation, called for support and assistance from overseas Chinese and the general public to the establishment of the museum, while urging them to contribute relics, related literature and materials.

Currently, there are more than 30 million Chinese residing worldwide.
 
(Xinhua News Agency March 30, 2004)