Top advisory body meets for annual session
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-03-03 15:36

China's top advisory body, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), convened its annual full session in Beijing Thursday afternoon, laying much stress on the role it can play in promoting national reunification and social harmony.

Jia Qinglin, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, delivers a work report at the opening ceremony of the CPPCC annual session in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing March 3, 2005. [Xinhua]

"We shall bring into full play the unique function and role of the people's political consultation..., contribute to the buildingof a harmonious socialist society..., oppose and curb 'Taiwan independence' activities and safeguard peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits region," said Jia Qinglin, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, while delivering a keynote report on what the advisory body should do in 2005.

All top leaders of the ruling Communist Party and the state, including President Hu Jintao, top lawmaker Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen Jiabao, were seated on the central rostrum when the session opened in the Great Hall of the People in downtown Beijing at 3 p.m. Thursday.

Founded in 1949, the CPPCC consists of elite members of the Chinese society who are willing to serve as the think tank for thegovernment and for the country's legislative and judicial organs.

As an open forum where the Communist Party of China (CPC), the non-Communist parties of China and people without party affiliation discuss state affairs freely and on an equal footing, the CPPCC is also regarded as a perfect interpretation of China's "socialist democracy".

However, Jia, also a member of the CPC's top decision-making body, the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, also reaffirmed the unshakable leadership of the CPC over the advisory body.

China's top advisory body, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), convened its annual full session here Thursday. [Xinhua]

"Adherence to the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party provides a fundamental guarantee for the healthy development of the cause of the people's political consultation," he told the 2,186 advisors from all over the country. 

The CPPCC has enhanced unity and friendship with Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan over the past year and played its due role in implementing "one country, two systems" and promoting reunification of the motherland, Jia said.

The two special administrative regions (SAR) of Hong Kong and Macao have made some new progress in implementing the basic principle of "one country, two systems" and achieved self administration and high-degree autonomy, Jia said in his work report.

In 2004, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) gave interpretations of the Hong Kong SAR's Basic Law and outlined Hong Kong's electoral methods in 2007 and 2008 inanother important move to resolve issues of constitutional development in Hong Kong.

The successful election of the Hong Kong SAR's third legislative council and the inauguration of the second-term government of the Macao SAR have cemented the status of patriotic forces in the political lives of the two special administrative regions, said the CPPCC National Committee chairman.

"Members of the CPPCC National Committee from Hong Kong and Macao have played an active role by firmly abiding by the Basic Laws and supporting the central and their SAR governments in resolving related issues in compliance with law," he said. "They have contributed to maintenance of social stability and promotion of prosperity in the two special administrative regions."

Jia acknowledged that the top advisory, over the past year, hascarried out work in various fields and also addressed the current situation across the Taiwan Straits to promote the peaceful reunification of the motherland.

"We organized investigation and study tours and probes among CPPCC National Committee members and beefed up with research and publicity work on the glorious culture and traditions of the Chinese nation to fight 'Taiwan independence' from the historical and cultural perspectives," he said.

Meanwhile, the CPPCC National Committee also promoted economic,technological and cultural as well as personnel exchanges across the Taiwan Straits to increase the Taiwan compatriots' understanding of the Chinese mainland's policy on Taiwan and dispel their skepticism and misunderstanding on certain issues.

It is the common aspiration of various parties, political and ethnic groups and all circles to see the complete reunification ofthe motherland, he said. "Some non-Communist parties and members of the CPPCC National Committee have, at CPPCC meetings or in proposals, called for the earliest draft of an anit-secession law to fight and curb secessionist activities."

In 2004, the CPPCC National Committee sent a total of 29 delegations to visit 44 countries and received 28 groups of visitors from 23 countries and three international organizations. It also clinched friendly relations with six countries and 13 organizations.

The 56-year-old advisory body has so far established contacts of amity with 184 institutions from 107 countries and eight international and regional organizations.

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