The session has added significance as it will elect a new CPPCC leadership, said CPPCC spokesman Zhang Guoxiang at the press conference at the Great Hall of the People, where the CPPCC session will be held.

"The leadership change of the CPPCC takes place at a time when the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) set the goal of building a well-off society in an all-round way and the CPC experienced a smooth transition of its central leadership,"

Zhang told reporters that the presidium of the CPPCC National Committee session has the representation of the people of all walks of life.

Zhang described the work of the Ninth CPPCC National Committee as "quite extraordinary" and its achievements "outstanding" under the CPC leadership. Focusing on the two major themes of "unity and democracy", he said, the CPPCC has made significant contributions to China's reform and opening-up, modernization and the cause of peaceful reunification of the motherland.

Everything is ready for the opening of the first session of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), according to Zhang.

Signing up for the session as of 12:00 a.m. Sunday were 2,192 of the 2,238 CPPCC National Committee members, Zhang said.

The secretariat of the CPPCC National Committee session has so far received more than 360 proposals and 236 written speeches from the members, he said.

Zhang told the press conference that members of the committee are concerned most about proactive fiscal policy and employment and eight other heated issues, in view of proposals and speeches his committee has so far received.

These issues include those concerning the implementation of pro-active fiscal policy; employment and social security; those regarding the reform on State-owned assets management system; problems with regard to agriculture, rural areas and farmers; the reform on fiscal and financial systems; social credit or trustworthiness; the development of non-public economies and protection of private properties; judicial fairness; social distribution; and reform on education.

In addition, some other urgent issues also deserve attention of the members of the CPPCC National Committee, such as problems concerning energy, repetitive construction projects and food safety, the spokesman said.

(People's Daily March 2, 2003)