Issues concerning the fundamental interests of the people have
dominated the
Fourth Session
of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political
Consultative Conference (
CPPCC),
China's top
advisory body. The session is scheduled to conclude on March 13.
As at 5 PM on March 8, the deadline for the submission of
proposals, CPPCC members had submitted 5,030 proposals. The
proposals relate to major issues concerning the implementation of
the
11th Five-Year Development Guidelines (2006-2010), building
a new socialist countryside, science and technology innovation,
building an energy saving and environmentally friendly society,
promoting the coordinated development of the regional economy,
accelerating the reform of the social security system, medical
reform, and production safety.
Many CPPCC members expressed their satisfaction at being able to
participate in the supervision and management of state affairs in a
democratic way.
“The political advisory body is platform for me to express my
views and suggestions on the work of the government. Every CPPCC
member is responsible for speaking on the people's behalf,” said
Tian Ruizhang, former vice president of Industrial and Commercial
Bank of China (ICBC).
Tian’s view was echoed by Lu Jiang, chairman of the China
Federation of Logistics and Purchasing: “Through our visits to
different provinces and cities, I found that the function of the
CPPCC has been greatly enhanced. The advice and suggestions of
CPPCC members not only help improve the performance of the central
government but also benefit the work of local governments. Some
have been used to correct decision-making of governments at all
levels.
“In the future, I think CPPCC members should pay more attention
to improving the quality rather than quantity of their
proposals.”
Miao Gengshu, former president of China Minmetals Group, said:
“People have great expectations of the CPPCC because it gathers
together a large number of experts and specialists from various
fields. If these specialists are allowed to conduct more field
investigations and take into consideration the views of grassroots
members, they can make more constructive suggestions on the work of
local governments.”
Chen Changjie, a leading scientist in forest entomology, urged
CPPCC members to contribute responsibly not only during the 10-day
session, but also in their professional lives. “The ten-day session
is a chance for us to exchange opinions. But after the session, we
should play a more active role in promoting and supervising the
implementation of the measures and policies adopted during the
session.”
Wu Chunhe, former chief editor of Economic Daily, also
made suggestions on how to make scientific and enforceable
proposals: a good proposal should focus on the fundamental
interests of the public and reflect their desires and needs;
supporting information and analyses should be pertinent and
in-depth; a proposal should also include concrete measures and
suggestions to solve the problems it raises. In addition, field
investigations are extremely important.”
Considered the government's de facto "think tank," the CPPCC
comprises committees run by public figures from various walks of
life. Making proposals is the most direct way for CPPCC members to
participate in state affairs and in the drafting of state policies.
Over the last year, the CPPCC forwarded more than 4,000 proposals
for consideration, and almost all of them have been considered,
according to a work report prepared by Luo Haocai, vice chairman of
the CPPCC National Committee.
On March 1, the General Office of the Communist Party of China
(CPC)
Central Committee issued a document entitled, “Opinions of the CPC
Central Committee on Strengthening the Work of Chinese People's
Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC)”, which clearly states
that the CPPCC is an important organ of multi-party cooperation and
political consultation, and stresses that the CPPCC will play a
bigger role in the future.
(China.org.cn by staff reporter Wang Qian, March 12, 2006)
