The closing session on Monday elected Ye Shaolan and eight others new members of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee.

It adopted a political resolution in support of the draft outline of China's 10th five-year plan for economic and social development and Premier Zhu Rongji's report on it.

The political resolution also gives its blessing to the work reports of the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

Members of the top advisory body expressed their confidence for the successful implementation of the 10th five-year plan, which they said reflects the fundamental interests and common aspiration of the Chinese people.

They also expressed their concern over crucial issues arising in the process of China's development, and made constructive proposals concerning the strengthening of the fundamental status of agriculture, raising farmers' income, economic restructuring and further advancing of state-owned enterprise reform, among others.

The political resolution calls on all non-Communist parties, organizations and people from all walks of life and all nationalities to closely unite around the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) headed by Jiang Zemin, uphold and improve the CPC-led multi-party cooperation and political consultation system, strive to accomplish all the tasks set in the new five-year plan outline, promote the modernization drive, realize the reunification of the motherland, and safeguard world peace and promote common development.

The closing session also approved a report by the subcommittee on proposals, according to which, the session this year had received 3,585 proposals from members by March 7, and has decided to put on file 3,442 of them for examination and action.

Li Ruihuan, chairman of the Ninth National Committee of CPPCC, delivered a keynote speech at the closing session.

He described the annual session as a "democratic, realistic, united and encouraging" conference, which he said would have an import impact on the future of the country.

"Our future is bright. Our task is huge. Our comrades need to be revivified and united. They must go all out in their work and use their wisdom," he told 1,952 CPPCC members present at the meeting.

Senior Chinese leaders Jiang Zemin, Li Peng, Zhu Rongji, Hu Jintao, Wei Jianxing and Li Lanqing attended the closing session, presided by CPPCC National Committee vice-chairman Ye Xuanping.

(People’s Daily 03/12/2001)