SAN FRANCISCO, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Overseas Chinese coming from China's Hebei Province will cooperate with other communities in the San Francisco Bay Area to become a driving force behind closer exchanges between U.S. and Chinese people, a leader of the Chinese community said Monday.

Arthur Dong, chairperson of the Executive Council of the North California Hebei Association (NCHA), said he believed the association that has just celebrated its 10th anniversary will carry forward the unique tradition of Hebei Province and its neighboring areas in northern China and continue to play its role as one of the strongest Chinese communities in the Bay Area in promoting mutual understanding between China and the United States.

At an event marking the 10th anniversary of the NCHA Sunday, Chinese Consul General in San Francisco Luo Linquan said that he believed the overseas Chinese in the Bay Area will build on the strength accumulated in the past 10 years to continue working for stronger China-U.S. relations by boosting economic, trade and cultural exchanges.

Luo told an audience of hundreds that members of the association, who mostly came from Hebei Province in northern China, have always upheld the traditional spirit of patriotism shared by overseas Chinese and made tremendous contribution to the sustained friendship between China and the United States.

"Bonded by the amity among your fellow members and taking local-level exchanges as a means of communication, the NCHA has done a good job in fighting for the well-beings of the community of overseas Chinese originating from Hebei Province, and helping pushing forward the economic, trade and cultural exchanges between the Bay Area and Hebei Province," Luo said.

He spoke highly of the NCHA's efforts in promoting China's endeavor of peaceful reunification of the nation and combating "Taiwan Independence" by separatist forces in the United States.

Geng Landi, president of the NCHA, echoed Luo's remarks, saying he had led protests against Taiwan leader's transit stopover in the United States many years ago, which was aimed at sending a strong message of their vehement opposition to the separatist motives of the Taiwan authorities.

The members of the association have taken an active part in overseas memorial activities marking the anniversaries of China's resistance against Japanese aggression during World War II, Geng said.

The NCHA members have always been enthusiastic players in activities against Japan's claim for China's Diaoyu Islands and other events that helped build a closer link between the United States and China at the local level, he said.

The tremendous economic, scientific and social achievements made by China over the past years have greatly encouraged the overseas Chinese community in the Bay Area, particularly those from Hebei Province, to better integrate themselves with the American society, he said.

The association was founded in the Bay Area in 2008 and now has more than 240 active members who serve Chinese communities in the Bay Area.