China’s annual conference starts today in Beijing

THE fifth session of the 12th Chinese Peoples’ Political Consultative Conference will start this afternoon here in Beijing. The annual session for the top advisory body will end on March 13.

Addressing a press conference attended by hundreds of journalists from Chinese, South East Asian and African countries including Zimbabwe, vice chairman for foreign affairs committee of the national committee of the CPPCC, Mr Wang Guoqing said the annual conference was expected to hear and deliberate on the grand report on the work of the standing committee of the CPPCC national committee and also discuss on how the standing committee deliberated on proposals made by members during the previous session last year.

Mr Wang also said deliberations were also going to include the state of the economy of China, poverty alleviation and social development.

“There will be committee meetings, joint group discussions and press conferences on the Chinese economy, people’s lives - socially and culturally.

“All preparations for the opening of the session are complete. Three plenary meetings will be opened to Chinese and foreign media,” he said.

Responding to journalists, Mr Wang said China had continued working towards poverty alleviation and also observed stability as a key element in economic growth.

He said the Chinese GDP had continued to grow and had contributed immensely to the world economy.

“China has also continued to offer more products and valuable opportunities of cooperation. As long as we address challenges, the Chinese economy will remain the major driver of the world economy.

“I believe that decades of practices and maintaining stability is important for government policy on development. We have been seeking progress while maintaining stability. This means pressing ahead in a steady way,” he said.

Over 2 000 members of the CPPCC national committee are expected to attend the conference.

The CPPCC is a multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China. It is an important forum for the promotion of socialist democracy in the Chinese political system.