The Fourth
Session of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's
Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC),
China's top advisory body, was convened in Beijing on Friday.
Jia
Qinglin, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, delivered a
keynote report on the work of the CPPCC National Committee's
Standing Committee in 2005.
Jia stressed the CPPCC's resolute stand against "Taiwan
independence" and sincere pursuit for peaceful development of the
cross-Straits relations.
"We will never tolerate 'Taiwan independence', and shall oppose
and curb 'Taiwan independence' secessionist forces and activities,"
he said.
"We will adhere to the fundamental principles of peaceful
reunification and 'one country, two systems', carry out Hu Jintao's
four guidelines for developing cross-Straits relations in the new
circumstances, and maintain and promote a peaceful and stable
development of cross-Straits relations with our utmost sincerity
and greatest endeavors to strive for a prospect of peaceful
reunification," Jia said.
"We shall stick to the policies of 'Hong Kong people governing
Hong Kong', 'Macao people governing Macao' and a high degree of
autonomy," said Jia, calling CPPCC members from Hong Kong and Macao
to work harder to promote long-term prosperity, stability and
development of the regions.
He also stressed the significance of cooperation with returned
and overseas Chinese compatriots in an effort to realize China's
reunification and the revival of the Chinese nationality.
"We will continue to exchange visits with prominent individuals
in a number of countries, and we will cultivate multi-leveled,
friendly contacts, exchanges and cooperation with institutions and
NGOs in some countries and with international organizations in a
well-planned, prioritized way," Jia said.
Talking about the CPPCC's contributions to the working out the
11th Five-Year Guidelines for National Economic and Social
Development, Jia said formulating the guidelines has an important
bearing on the long-term success of China's modernization drive and
the attainment of its grand objectives.
"The Standing Committee focused on making suggestions for the
11th Five-Year Guidelines in the performance of its functions," Jia
said. "The subcommittees of the National Committee, the political
parties and organizations participating in the CPPCC, and many
members of the National Committee conducted in-depth research on
some major issues in formulating the 11th Five-Year Guidelines.
Their work resulted in valuable and substantive comments and
suggestions."
"Based on this research, the 10th CPPCC National Committee held
its first consultative conference to discuss special topics," Jia
said. "The Central Committee and the State Council attached great
importance to this conference. Leaders of the State Council and
concerned ministries and commissions participated at various times
in different consultative discussions. Members of the National
Committee made important comments and suggestions on transforming
the pattern of economic growth, ensuring energy security and
developing new energy resources, helping enterprises play a key
role in technological innovation, carrying out urbanization with
Chinese characteristics, achieving balanced economic development
among regions, improving the mechanism for equitably distributing
wealth, accelerating development of the Binhai New Area of Tianjin,
and establishing an economic zone on the west shore of the Taiwan
Straits."
"These comments and suggestions were incorporated into the
Proposal of the CPC Central Committee for Formulating the 11th
Five-Year Guidelines for National Economic and Social Development,"
Jia said. "Soon after the 5th Plenary Session of the 16th Central
Committee, we held the 11th meeting of the Standing Committee to
study and implement the guiding principles set out at the 5th
Plenary Session and to make more suggestions for the 11th Five-Year
Guidelines. The members of the Standing Committee from Beijing and
some of the subcommittees of the National Committee also held
forums at which they made many constructive suggestions for
improving the draft proposal. Concerned authorities adopted most of
these suggestions and made an official reply on their
adoption."
Talking about CPPCC's work in 2006, Jia said the year 2006 marks
the start of the 11th Five-Year Guidelines and is important for
building a moderately prosperous society in all respects from a new
historical starting point.
"The National Committee and its Standing Committee must take
Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents
as its guide; fully implement a scientific outlook on development;
thoroughly study and implement the directives of the Central
Committee on strengthening the work of the CPPCC; keep the themes
of unity and democracy firmly in mind; fully perform the functions
of political consultation, democratic oversight and participation
in the deliberation and administration of state affairs; focus on
helping implement the 11th Five-Year Guidelines and building a
harmonious socialist society in performing these functions; be
realistic and pragmatic; and work hard with a pioneering and
innovative spirit in order to contribute further to China's
all-round socialist economic, political, cultural and social
development," he said.
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Regarding the implementation of the 11th Five-Year Guidelines,
Jia said the CPPCC must observe the principles of focusing on the
central task of economic development and serving the overall
interests of the country in performing its functions.
"We will carry out in-depth research on major, comprehensive,
overall and futuristic issues, use the subcommittees to strengthen
cooperation with the political parties and organizations
participating in the CPPCC and launch studies on key topics such as
how to build a new socialist countryside, how to make China an
innovation-oriented country, how to build a harmonious socialist
society, how to build a resource-conserving and
environment-friendly society, how to promote fiscal and tax reform
and reform of the banking system, and how to strengthen efforts to
build a modern market system," Jia said.
On the basis of these studies, Jia said, "We will hold meetings
of the Standing Committee for consultation and discussion and
organize consultative conferences on special topics in a timely
fashion in order to provide valuable comments and suggestions to
the Central Committee and the State Council to make our proper
contribution to helping China meet this year's major targets for
economic and social development and promoting a more scientific
approach to the country's economic and social development."
Helping to build a harmonious socialist society is a
high-priority and strategic task for the CPPCC, Jia said. "At
present, we need to pay more attention to social development,
people's well-being, and interpersonal relationships. We will
integrate the performance of our functions in promoting the two
themes of unity and democracy with the role of the CPPCC in
building a harmonious society."
"We will explore means and methods for the CPPCC to help build a
harmonious society and review the experience of lower-level CPPCC
committees in building it," Jia continued. "We need to make full
use of the inclusiveness of the CPPCC to create channels by which
people from different sectors of society can participate in
political life in an orderly manner. We will encourage members of
CPPCC committees to visit lower-level organizations, stay in close
contact with the masses, reflect their aspirations and demands,
help them with their problems, promote mutual understanding and
good communications between them, and resolve conflicts between
them to safeguard social harmony and stability."
Turning to the Guidelines of the Communist Party of China (CPC)
Central Committee for Improving the Work of the CPPCC, Jia said the
guidelines aptly summarize important statements from the three
generations of the CPC's central collective leadership concerning
the cause of the CPPCC, and new ideas and requirements concerning
the CPPCC's work set forth by the Central Committee with Hu Jintao
as General Secretary; clearly define the CPPCC's tasks for
performing its functions and improving itself; and point out the
correct direction for development of the CPPCC's cause.
"The guidelines are a programmatic document guiding the
development of the CPPCC's cause at this new stage in the new
century," Jia said. "CPPCC committees at all levels and
organizations participating in the CPPCC should make it an
important task to study and implement the guidelines, which will
provide impetus for all aspects of our work for the present and
some time to come. They should give high priority to the task and
promptly and effectively undertake it. Local CPPCC committees
should take effective steps to put the guidelines into practice in
line with their own individual work situations, take the initiative
to assist local Party committees and governments in making plans
for implementing the guidelines, and promote the study and
implementation of them in their localities."
"We should integrate the study and implementation of the
guidelines with proper performance of our functions and explore new
ways for the CPPCC to perform its functions," Jia said. "We should
integrate the study and implementation of the guidelines with
all-round self-improvement of the CPPCC, promote unity and
cooperation among the political parties and persons without party
affiliation participating in the CPPCC, and let the different
sectors of society represented in the CPPCC, CPPCC committee
members and CPPCC organs fully play their roles."
"We should also combine the study and implementation of the
guidelines with the CPPCC's theoretical research work to promote
innovation in CPPCC theory and work," he continued. "We need to
combine the study and implementation of the guidelines with
wide-ranging efforts to inform people about the CPPCC. We need to
work hard to inform people about the system of multiparty
cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the
CPC and explain to them the nature, position and role of the CPPCC
and how CPPCC committees at each level perform their functions in
order to create an atmosphere conducive to the furtherance of the
CPPCC's cause."
Jia also emphasized the importance to explore new ways to
perform CPPCC's functions. "We will continue to emancipate our
minds, seek truth from facts, keep up with the times, and use
innovative thinking to create new means and ways to perform our
functions of political consultation, democratic oversight and
participation in the deliberation and administration of state
affairs."
"We will improve our working mechanisms and ensure that the
Plenary Session and Standing Committee meetings a success," he
said. "We will draw lessons from successful consultative
conferences on special topics, and do a good job in political
consultation when these meetings are not in session. We will
further improve ways to do research on special topics, and continue
to use projects as a way to pool the intellectual resources of the
organizations participating in the CPPCC and the representatives of
all sectors of society."
"We will select projects that have particular significance for
the overall work of China and try a new approach in which prominent
people lead research with help from relevant departments," he said.
"We will improve working contacts among subcommittees, among the
political parties and organizations participating in the CPPCC, and
between national and local CPPCC committees, and increase
subcommittees' cooperation and coordination with Party and
government departments. We need to promptly review and share the
experiences of CPPCC committees around the country in the
performance of their functions and focus on expanding application
of mature and widely applicable approaches so that the CPPCC can
constantly progress and develop in its work."
Top leaders of the CPC and of the state including President Hu
Jintao, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National
People's Congress (NPC) Wu
Bangguo and Premier Wen
Jiabao were present at the opening session.
Of all the 2,280 registered CPPCC members for the annual
meeting, 2,154 were present at the opening session.
They are also listening to a report by Vice Chairman of the
CPPCC National Committee Luo Haocai on how their proposals and
suggestions regarding China's reforms and development had been
handled since last session in March 2005.
The top political consultants will also be present at the
upcoming Fourth Session of the 10th NPC
-- China's top legislature, hearing and discussing the report on
the government work delivered by Premier Wen, and discussing the
11th Five-Year (2006-10) Guidelines for National Economic and
Social Development.
The Fourth Session of the 10th CPPCC National Committee is
expected to last about 10 days and conclude on the morning of March
13.
Founded in 1949, the CPPCC consists of elite members of the
Chinese society who are willing to serve as the think tank for the
government and for the country's legislative and judicial
organs.
As an open forum where the CPC, the non-Communist parties of
China and people with no party affiliations discuss state affairs
freely and on an equal footing, the CPPCC National Committee has
been the manifestation of China's socialist democracy.
(China.org.cn, Xinhua News Agency March 3, 2006)
