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.

Chinese Party and State leaders attend the Third Session of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) opened at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing March 3, 2005.

 
Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of CPPCC, delivers the report on the work of the Standing Committee of the 10th CPPCC National Committee at the Third Session of the 10th CPPCC National Committee opened in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, March 3, 2005.
 
Press-photographers and TV cameramen are engaged in shooting during the Third Session of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) opened at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing March 3, 2005.

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 (Mar.3), laying much stress on the role it can play in promoting national reunification and social harmony.

"We shall bring into full play the unique function and role of the people's political consultation..., contribute to the building of a harmonious socialist society..., oppose and curb 'Taiwan independence' activities and safeguard peace and stability in 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 the government 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.

"Adherence to the leadership of the CPC 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.

An important job for the advisors during their 9.5-day full meeting, scheduled to last till March 12, is to discuss and offer advice on the draft version of a law the country's top legislature,the National People's Congress (NPC), plans to enact to prevent the separation of Taiwan from China.

The enactment of the anti-secession law has been put on the agenda of the upcoming annual full session of the NPC, slated to begin in Beijing Saturday. As usual, all members of the CPPCC National Committee are invited to participate in the lawmakers' meeting as non-voting observers.

"The enactment of the anti-secession law occurs at the right time and is highly necessary. I think the proposed law aims at fighting and curbing the 'Taiwan independence' forces and promoting the peaceful reunification of the motherland," commented Tina Ho Teng Iat, a CPPCC member from the Macao Special Administrative Region.

"With the anti-secession law in place, people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits will only feel safer," said Sze Cheung-pang, anadvisor from Hong Kong. "This is because the law is based on the principle of peaceful reunification and 'one country, two systems'."

Once adopted, said Sze, the law will provide an explicit legal guarantee for peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits region.

"Some non-Communist parties and CPPCC members have, at CPPCC meetings or in their proposals, called for the enactment of a law against secession at the earliest date, to resolutely fight and curb 'Taiwan independence' activities in any forms," said Jia in his report when reviewing the advisors' work and contributions in the past year.

Many advisors also worked hard to help the Taiwan compatriots understand and support the central authorities' policies regarding Taiwan, and helped them dismiss their "doubts and misunderstandings" on certain matters concerning the policies, Jia added. 
In 2005, the CPPCC members should further strengthen their ties with people of various social circles and groups in Taiwan and "do more work to win the heart of the Taiwan people", Jia urged.

Echoing the top leadership's latest call for more social harmony and a better social order, Jia told the advisors that the CPPCC, which represents the "broadest united patriot front in China", "should and could play an important role in this regard". 
The CPPCC can help the Party and government coordinate social relations and maintain stability, and can also help the state fully implement its ethnic and religious policies, said Jia.

As China is wrapping up its "10th five-year plan" period and working out the "11th five-year plan" this year, helping the Party and government formulate a good social and economic development plan for the five years to come shall also become a focus of all advisors' work, added Jia.

According to sources with the CPPCC National Committee, the advisors participating in the session have so far submitted nearly600 proposals and suggestions, in which "the building of a harmonious society" turns out to be a "highly popular term".

"In recent years, the imbalance between economic growth and social development has emerged as an outstanding problem in China," said Song Linfei, an advisor from east China's booming coastal province of Jiangsu.

Song cited deteriorating public security in some places, unreasonable distribution of social wealth and lack of care for the disadvantaged as "main factors causing social discord" in China.

"A 'harmonious socialist society' is a fresh concept which will let more Chinese share the fruits of reform and development, thus contributing to the establishment of a more stable social structure," said Song, adding that he had submitted two proposals to the ongoing session regarding social harmony and the soaring housing prices in Chinese cities.

Editor: Olivia