Liu Yi, mayor of Jiangmen, Guangdong province, who is also a deputy to National People's Congress. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Jiangmen, Guangdong province, has given full play to some unique advantages as the hometown of many overseas Chinese in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic in recent months, according to Mayor Liu Yi, who is also a deputy to National People's Congress.

With more than 4 million overseas Chinese tracing their roots to the city, Jiangmen, took the lead in the province in simplifying procedures to allow protective equipment and anti-pandemic products to flow in and out of the city earlier this year, Liu said.

"All the procedures for declarations, importation, tax reductions and exemptions for anti-COVID-19 materials and products can be done in about an hour," Liu told local media at a recent news briefing.

Liu said Jiangmen has received donations of more than 12.28 million yuan ($1.75 million), along with other anti-virus materials valued at 13.45 million yuan, from more than 80 overseas Chinese groups and organizations since January.

As early as Jan 28, the Mexico Wuyi Youth Federation donated more than 200,000 medical masks to Jiangmen and Hubei province, the hardest-hit region in China.

Meanwhile, Jiangmen sent materials out, donating to overseas recipients to help in the global effort against the pandemic, Liu said.

Jiangmen, a major production base in the Pearl River Delta, has donated more than 1.51 million face masks valued at more than 2.6 million yuan to 127 overseas organizations and groups in 26 countries and regions since March 21.

"The city government has further simplified procedures to encourage local companies to export anti-pandemic materials and products, including masks, protective suits, infrared thermometers and related hard-to-get materials abroad in recent weeks," he said.