Chinese President Hu Jintao (R, front), who is also General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits and joins a panel discussion of members of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) from the China National Democratic Construction Association and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2010. Jia Qinglin, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of CPC Central Committee and chairman of CPPCC National Committee, also took part in the visit and joined the panel discussion (XINHUA)

President Hu Jintao and other Chinese leaders including top legislator Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen Jiabao Thursday joined the country's political advisors to discuss issues of the nation's top concern.

The political advisors are in Beijing for the annual session of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which started Wednesday afternoon.

Private sector, transformation of economic growth pattern

President Hu joined a panel discussion of advisors from the non-communist China National Democratic Construction Association and the All China Federation of Industry and Commerce, an organization of private entrepreneurs.

He said the country's private businesses are now standing on a new starting line and urged them to seize opportunities for development.

The country will unswervingly encourage and support the development of private businesses while it would always unswervingly seek to strengthen the public sector, Hu vowed.

Non-public enterprises should have a clear understanding of the current situation, seize the opportunities and score greater achievements in strengthening their own competence and helping accelerate the transformation of the country's economic growth pattern and improve people's livelihoods, Hu said.

Hu said he is glad to see more Chinese private enterprises are seeking business opportunities overseas and have obtained progress, but he warned them to guard against risks while seeking overseas expansion.

After hearing the panel discussion by political advisors from the Communist Party of China (CPC), He Guoqiang, Standing Committee member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said priorities should be given to accelerating the transformation of China's economic growth pattern, which is of pivotal and fundamental importance to the country.

He urged to promote innovation and strengthen education and supervision in order to make sure all policies facilitating the transformation are fully implemented.

He, also head of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, also called for unswerving efforts to fight against corruption and enhance party building.

Hearing public opinions

Premier Wen Jiabao stressed the importance of solicitation of public opinions in the process of decision making in a discussion with advisors from the economic and agricultural circles.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (L), who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, visits members of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) from the circles of economy and agriculture and joins in their joint panel discussion in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2010. (Xinhua/Li Tao)

Authorities should invite experts to study the feasibility of major decisions linked to the country's social and economic development, and should listen to public opinions when making decisions of public concerns, Wen said.

He said the political advisors offered many realistic and insightful suggestions to help the country deal with challenges brought by the global financial crisis last year.

Wen encouraged them to track and keep their fingers on the pulse of internal and external economic conditions, which would become more complex this year, and to continue making suggestions to the government.

National unity, stability, social harmony

Speaking to political advisors from the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League and the All China Confederation of Taiwan Compatriots, top legislator Wu Bangguo called on members of non-communist parties and people with no party affiliations to follow the lead of the CPC, cooperate with each other and rely on the people in the building of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), urged the organizations to make full use of their connections with Taiwan compatriots to facilitate the nation's cause of peaceful unification.

Jia Qinglin, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, joined the discussion of political advisors from ethnic minority groups.

The country will stick to the CPC's ethnic policies and the system of regional autonomy of ethnic minorities, and explore a solution to ethnic issues with Chinese characteristics, he said.

The country will also push forward development of the regions inhabited by ethnic minorities, he said.

In addition, the country will take effective measures to prevent and crack down on ethnic separatist activities to safeguard stability, he said.

Addressing CPPCC members from Hong Kong and Macao, Vice President Xi Jinping urged them to make further contributions to the implementation of the principle of "one country, two systems, and the basic laws of the two special administrative regions.

Political advisors from Hong Kong and Macao should offer more suggestions on the two regions' economic development, help maintain social stability, facilitate exchanges and cooperation between the two regions and the inland, and play a more active role in political consultation.

Zhou Yongkang, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, joined the panel discussion of political advisors from the religious circle.

Zhou said development and stability are currently two major issues in China, urging the advisors to offer advice on the transformation of economic growth pattern, and to oppose separatist and illegal religious activities.

Zhou hoped the religious circle could contribute their strength to the leap-forward development and lasting peace and stability in Tibet and Xinjiang Uygur autonomous regions.

When talking with advisors from the art and entertainment circles, Li Changchun, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, encouraged them to create more quality works to serve the public.

He hoped artists could produce more works that meet the needs of common people and the market.

Li also underlined the mobilization of artists' enthusiasm, initiatives and creativity.

In his discussion with advisors from medical and social welfare circles, Vice Premier Li Keqiang said the country would make stepped-up efforts to improve people's living standard and their quality of life.

He also urged to push forward the reform of government-funded hospitals to offer affordable and accessible medical services to all.

(Xinhua News Agency March 4, 2010)