Gathering 'wide range of opinions' needed to achieve broad prosperity

BEIJING, March 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- National political advisers have been asked to make greater efforts this year to offer suggestions about major tasks to help build the country into a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

China's top political advisory body started its annual session on Sunday afternoon in Beijing, raising the curtain on a key season in the country's political calendar.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, president, and the chairman of the Central Military Commission, attended the opening meeting with other leaders at the Great Hall of the People.

Wang Yang, chairman of the 13th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, delivered a work report to more than 2,000 political advisers at the session.

He commended the CPPCC's work last year, noting advances under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi at its core.

"We gave full play to the CPPCC's role as a body dedicated to consultation and carried out our dual responsibility of offering suggestions and building consensus," he said.

Over the past year, political advisers have conducted consultations with a focus on fighting the three critical battles－against potential risks, poverty and pollution－and on promoting high-quality development, he said.

With regard to the CPPCC's major tasks this year, Wang said top priority will be given to studying and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

The second task is offering high-quality suggestions about the central tasks of the Party and the country.

"Practicing democracy is an important way to seek advice and gather a wide range of opinions on how to secure a decisive victory in completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects," Wang said.

Based on in-depth study, political advisers will also engage in consultations on issues that concern the interests of the public, including creating jobs, boosting the sharing economy, revising the Copyright Law, developing the Grand Canal Cultural Belt, training schoolteachers and developing a system for elderly care services, he said.

Wang Daming, a CPPCC National Committee member and a doctor at Beijing Hospital, said that to better fulfill his duty he will do more practical work this year and make quality proposals a priority over quantity.

"Making precise and proper suggestions requires thorough study, and surveys are fundamental," he said.

He visited six impoverished counties in two provinces last year to conduct a survey about how to improve medical conditions and relieve poverty.

Delivering the work report, Wang Yang also said that this year, the top political advisory body will continue to carry out international exchanges and high-level visits and will create new ways of conducting public diplomacy and people-to-people and intercultural exchanges.

Events to be held include the 17th session of the Sino-EU Round Table, the Belt and Road Seminar for International Cooperation and the International Seminar on Peaceful Dialogue between Different Religions.

Last year, for the first time, diplomats from 41 African countries and representatives from the African Union visited the CPPCC National Committee and attended forums to learn more about China's political advisory system.

Xinhua contributed to this story.

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SOURCE China Daily