The fortnight-long sessions of the 10th National People's Congress (NPC) and the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) have attracted global attention since opening in the Great Hall of the People in downtown Beijing on March 5 and 3 respectively.

In an interview with Xinhua, Dr. Pierre Picquart, an expert on geopolitics at the University of Paris VIII, said the "two sessions" reflected the Chinese government's new thinking in state management which is aimed at ensuring a steady social development in the right direction.

He praised the Chinese government for unveiling a rural area-oriented policy, saying it has won worldwide applause and is bound to bring a more "balanced" social development to China.

The NPC is China's national legislature and the CPPCC is China's top advisory body.

Ke Lanjun, a sinologist of the East Asian Institute of the Berlin Free University in Germany, told Xinhua that the construction of the Socialist new countryside was the right choice for the Chinese government, noting that developing the rural economy to narrow the gap between urban and rural areas is a good news for all Chinese.

Bulgarian newspaper "24 Chasa" on Tuesday carried an article, saying that China's move to set aside US$42 billion in the coming years to narrow the gap between urban and rural areas is a great change. The figure was announced by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on March 5 when delivering his report on the work of the government at the NPC session.

The article also cited Wen's remarks that Beijing will never allow Taiwan "independence", and Chen's recent declaration to cease the function of the "National Unification Council" is regarded as a secessionist act.

The sessions are not only big political events for Chinese people, but are also a focal point for international media and overseas Chinese, who are looking forward to learning about the development of their motherland through the meetings, Qian Qiguo, chairman of the Sydney Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China, said in a statement.

The Chinese government is emphasizing the establishment of an economic system featuring independence in research and development with fresh attention to innovation, Romanian newspaper Economist said in its editorial on Thursday.

The conferences signal that the Chinese people are moving into a new modernization process. The resolutions and suggestions made in the sessions will help push China's development to a new high, it said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 10, 2006)