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Multi-Party Cooperation and the Political  Consultative  System 

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Work Since the Third Session of the Ninth CPPCC National Committee

In 2000, the CPPCC conscientiously exercised its functions of political consultation, democratic supervision and participation in administration and discussion of State affairs. The CPPCC, achieving remarkable progress in various aspects of its work, made active contributions to promoting the scientific and democratic making of decisions, consolidating and expanding the united front, and expediting all-round economic and social development.

Participating in the formulation of plans for national economic and social development is major aspect of the CPPCC's participation in the administration and discussion of State affairs. During the 2000 annual sessions of the NPC and the CPPCC, many members of the latter put forward opinions and suggestions concerning the formulation of the 10th Five-Year Plan. After the session, the CPPCC sent 14 inspection groups successively to at least 10 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions to investigate major issues involving national economic and social development. Based on deep-going research and adequate verification, various CPPCC special committees submitted a batch of valuable suggestions to the CPC Central Committee. These included: the Proposal on Embodying Innovation in the 10th Five-Year Plan, On China's Water Resources and Sustainable Development, the Opinion and Proposal on Arrangement of Projects of Industrialization of State Major Scientific and Technological Achievements in the 10th Five-Year Plan and the 2010 Program, the Proposal on Promotion of Industrialized Management of Agriculture, and the Proposal on Early Construction of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project. These offered important reference for the CPC Central Committee to draft the 10th Five-Year Plan. The CPPCC also organized the specialists and scholars among its members to discuss the draft Outline of the 10th Five-Year Plan submitted by the State Development Planning Commission for soliciting opinions. They posed more than 100 amendment suggestions, with 58 adopted by the Outline Drafting Group of the State Development Planning Commission. In February 2001, the CPPCC held a symposium attended by CPPCC Standing Committee members in Beijing to discuss the draft Outline of the 10th Five-Year Plan (version for soliciting opinions) that was to be submitted to the NPC for examination. The members raised opinions and suggestions concerning 12 aspects, which were transferred to the Outline Drafting Group of the State Council.

After the CPC Central Committee decided on western development, CPPCC members and organizations at various levels did a lot of practical work and put forward 128 proposals at the Third Session of the CPPCC National Committee in 2000. After the session, various special committees of the CPPCC organized investigations, research and symposiums on subjects in line with their respective working areas. They raised many suggestions concerning such issues as ecological conservation, poverty-relief related development, economic cooperation between the eastern and western regions, and ethnic and religious issues to be involved in the western development. On the basis of ample investigation and research, the CPPCC Standing Committee held a special meeting on western development, leading to the formation of an Opinion and Proposal on the Implementation of the Western Development Strategy, which drew great attention from the Party Central Committee and the State Council.

In 2000, some 98 percent of proposals the CPPCC had received were handled, with replies sent out. These proposals involved every aspect of State political, economic and social life. Some proposals played a positive role in promoting the modernization drive. They included the proposals on transmitting electricity from west to east China, constructing Spark Program development zones along the Lianyungang (Jiangsu)-Lanzhou (Gansu) Railway, preparing the agricultural sector for China's accession to the WTO, solving water problems in the capital, promoting the development of environmental protection industries, and improving social security system.

Through information channels, the CPPCC submitted more than 1,700 opinions and suggestions of its members and public opinions to the Party Central Committee and the State Council, and handled nearly 2,000 letters. Premier Zhu Rongji, Vice-Premiers Li Lanqing and Wen Jiabao, and leaders of relevant provinces and departments made instructions concerning the information the CPPCC submitted on many occasions. The information helped relevant departments solve some 100 problems that had a bearing on the immediate interests of the people. Of them, the proposals on adjustment of financial policy, ban on drugs, deepening the reform of grain circulation system, and removing the hidden perils in the Jinjiang flood diversion area were adopted by related leaders and departments while making decisions. In 2000, the Social and Legal Affairs Committee conducted investigations together with CPPCC local committees in various provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities and produced an Investigation Report on Properly Handling Cases Involving Large Numbers of People to Guarantee Stability of Overall Situation. This provided an important reference for the comprehensive endeavor for maintaining public order launched by the Central Government and various localities in 2001. The Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee organized CPPCC members from ethnic groups and religious circles to undertake inspection tours to the western region, in a bid to establish what problems existed in ethnic and religious affairs there, and to publicize the Party's policies toward ethnic groups and religion. They did a lot of work for promoting unity and cooperation between various ethnic groups and among various circles.

In the past year, CPPCC Chairman Li Ruihuan and eight vice-chairpersons paid visits to other countries or participated in some international meetings, and the CPPCC also invited leaders of related countries, institutions and organizations to visit China. These played a part in enabling the international community to know more about China, about China's multi-party cooperation under the leadership of the CPC, and about the CPPCC, so as to create a favorable international environment. The CPPCC also successfully hosted the 2000 annual meeting of the 21st Century Forum with the theme of "Economic Globalization--Asia and China". The event helped strengthen contacts between the CPPCC and international organizations and celebrities and expand the international influence of the CPPCC.

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The Fourth Session of the Ninth CPPCC National Committee

The Fourth Session of the Ninth CPPCC National Committee was held in Beijing March 3-12, 2001, attended by 1,952 of its 2,266 members.

During the session, members heard and examined the work report delivered by Vice-Chairman Ye Xuanping on behalf of the CPPCC Standing Committee and the report on the work of proposal handling by Vice-Chairman Wan Guoquan on behalf of the CPPCC Standing Committee. They were present at the Fourth Session of the Ninth NPC, and listened to and discussed the Report on the Outline of the 10th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development delivered by Premier Zhu Rongji and other reports. The members spoke highly of the great achievements China had made during the Ninth Five-Year Plan period. They approved the draft Outline of the 10th Five-Year Plan while at the same time advancing many valuable opinions and suggestions.

The session received a total of 3,585 proposals. In accordance with the procedure rules of the CPPCC, the Committee for Handling Proposals examined these proposals after receiving them and put 3,442 of them on record, accounting for 96.01 percent of the total.

The session elected Ye Shaolan, Que Xi, Zhang Rongming, Chen Kangfu, Shao Huaze, Hao Jianxiu, Gui Shiyong, Liang Congjie and Shu Shengyou as additional members of the Standing Committee of the Ninth CPPCC National Committee. The session also adopted the political resolution of the Fourth Session of the Ninth CPPCC National Committee, a resolution on the work report of the Standing Committee, a resolution on the report on the proposal handling work since the Third Session of the CPPCC National Committee, and the report of the Committee for Handling Proposals of the Ninth CPPCC National Committee on the examination of proposals submitted to the Fourth Session of the Ninth CPPCC National Committee.

The session called on all parties, organizations and personages from various ethnic groups and social circles that have participated in the CPPCC to adhere to and improve the system of multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC, serve the overall interests of the country, and ensure the earnest performance of the CPPCC??s functions of political consultation, democratic supervision and participation in administration and discussion of State affairs, devoting great efforts to promoting the modernization drive and reunification of China, maintaining world peace and accelerating common development.

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MAJOR MASS ORGANIZATIONS

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Mass organizations in China have always been the bridge linking the CPC and Government with the masses of people. They are the important social support for the State power, playing a vital role in the socialist democratic life.

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