The city has become the magnet attracting overseas Chinese to come back to the motherland thanks to its status as the country's economic centre £¬as China Daily reports.

Officials of the city's Overseas Chinese Affairs Office said on Friday at a meeting to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the introduction of the Law to Protect Overseas Chinese and Their Relatives.

The city plans to promote this law through media and the Internet this month £¬ making it more widely known to local residents and overseas Chinese.

"With China soon to enter the World Trade Organization and become an international financial £¬ trading and shipping centre £¬ Shanghai £¬ as one of the most important cities in China £¬ needs the participation of overseas Chinese £¬" said Chen Wenjia£¬ director of the office.

However £¬ he admitted that the overseas Chinese law is little known by local residents and even by courts and lawyers.

In the past several years £¬ overseas Chinese have shown interest in the development of China £¬ especially Shanghai £¬ according to Chen.

One thing that they are concerned about when they come home is the country's policies as regards their status and their living and working conditions.

Every year£¬ more than 2£¬000 phone calls from overseas Chinese and their relatives in China are made to the office to ask about such things.

Scientists and young professionals were prominent among those wishing to return £¬ even from developed countries.

Compared with the 1980s £¬ when only about 15 overseas Chinese returned to settle in the city every year£¬ more than 200 come back to take up residence at present£¬ excluding Chinese students who have studied abroad and since returned.