Xi: Reform needed for prosperity

Non-Communist parties urged to fully participate in two sessions

Deepening reform of Party and State institutions has great significance for the completion of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and national rejuvenation, General Secretary Xi Jinping said.

Xi, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remark while meeting with representatives of non-Communist parties. The CPC Central Committee has held two meetings with non-Communist parties, on Feb 6 and on Wednesday.

During the meetings, the CPC Central Committee discussed its decision and plan for deepening reform of Party and State institutions as well as the lists of candidates for State leaders and leaders for the top political advisory body. The two lists will be recommended to the top legislature and the top political advisory body during their annual sessions starting Saturday.

In his speech, Xi said that the Party and State institutions should be reformed continuously along with economic development, social progress and the improvement of the people's livelihoods. Reform will not reach a point in which it is finished, but should be adjusted from time to time, Xi said.

Xi stressed that reform will improve the system of the Party's leadership over major works, coordinate the adjustment of Party and government institutions, and push reform of the Party's disciplinary system and the State's supervision system.

Reform will properly set the functions of the macro administration agencies, delegate administrative power to lower-level institutions, improve market supervision and law-enforcement systems, and improve the efficiency of governance, Xi said.

Reform will improve the adjustment of Party and government institutions, and the people's congress, political advisory body and judicial authorities will be further reformed, Xi said.

Reform will grant institutions at lower than provincial level more power to build an efficient grassroots administrative system, Xi said.

It also will lead to laws and regulations on the staffing of institutions and better define the functions, powers, responsibilities and operations of such institutions, Xi said.

Xi said that institutional reform is an important part of implementing the spirit of the CPC's 19th National Congress and an important task to uphold and improve the Party's leadership, improve and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, and push the modernization of the governance system and capacity.

It will be an important task for the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee to elect State leaders and the leaders of the CPPCC National Committee during their annual sessions, Xi said.

The CPC Central Committee attaches great importance to personnel reshuffling in State institutions and the top political advisory body, Xi said, adding that the CPC Central Committee has deliberated and collected opinions on the issue.

After rounds of selection and consideration, the Political Bureau of CPC Central Committee and its Standing Committee have discussed and raised the lists of proposed State leaders and leaders of the CPPCC, and the lists have been reviewed at the Third Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, Xi said.

Xi said that he hoped the non-Communist parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce and those without party affiliation will unite their thoughts and actions with the decisions made by the CPC Central Committee to deepen reform.

Xi called on them to support the reform, make suggestions, coordinate relations and reach greater consensus to push the deepening of reform.

The non-Communist parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce and those without party affiliation should participate in the two sessions with full political enthusiasm, guide the NPC deputies and CPPCC National Committee members of their parties to fulfill their duties, and spread positive energy, thus ensuring the smooth completion of all the tasks of the two sessions, Xi said.