·Develop culture with non-governmental efforts

Following are some quotes on mobilizing non-governmental efforts in developing the cultural sector from Yang Lan and Wan Jie, both political advisors, at the annual session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee on Sunday:

-- The current registration and administration systems for non-profit social groups should be reformed.

-- Legislation on non-profit cultural groups should be accelerated.

-- Preferential taxation policies should be adopted to promote the development of such groups.

·Mass events, major projects should be restrained

Following are some quotes on the government's zeal in organizing mass events and building mega projects from political advisor Li Haibin at the ongoing annual session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee on Sunday:

-- China must restrain itself from hosting mass events and building mega infrastructure facilities too excessively.

-- As a developing country with 1.3 billion people, it's necessary for China to build some mega projects such as infrastructure facilities, huge stadiums and gymnasiums and transport projects.

-- Many local governments in China are eagerly competing with one another to be China's No.1 or even the world's No.1 on many fronts, particularly on the scale of events and projects.

-- It costs a lot of money to organize mass events and build mega projects. Too many such events and projects raise the overburden on ordinary people.

-- The government should spend more on people's pension, medical care, poverty alleviation and housing rather than on such big events and projects.

Following are some quotes from He Qinghua, a political advisor and the vice chairman of the China Democratic League Hunan provincial branch, at the annual session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee on Sunday:

-- The seeking of luxury life style and pursuit for extravagance are pervasive in the modern Chinese society.

-- Luxury and extravagance are at the cost of resources such as electricity, petroleum and precious mining.

-- Quite a number of people are spending lavishly, which is beyond the capacity of social resources and unsustainable.

-- Governments of all levels should lead in taking measures to resist the acts of luxury and extravagance.

-- The central government should regulate the use of public funds for banquets, government vehicles and overseas business travels through budget control.

-- China should raise taxes on luxury commodities and services, and lower taxes in the field of real economy.

·Transparent, non-profit social charity work is needed

Following are some quotes on developing China's charity work from Patrick Ho Chi-ping, a political advisor and former director of Home Affairs Bureau of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, at the annual session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee on Sunday:

-- Developing social charity is not for making money, but collecting solicitude to the vulnerable groups.

-- Social charity is almsgiving, which means they are non-governmental activities to help the vulnerable groups that are neglected by the government.

-- Social charity coordinates with, rather than confronts with, the government, and social charity is complementary to the government's social security system.

-- Credibility is of great importance to social charity. Inappropriate spending is the biggest enemy for China's social charity, which should be done in transparency.

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