CRI听力:China's Top Political Advisory Body Starts its Annual Session

While delivering a work report at the opening ceremony, China's top political advisor, Jia Qinglin, said the CPPCC would make giving impetus to scientific development the top priority when carrying out its duties, vigorously develop the real economy and maintain steady and robust economic development.

"We will coordinate democratic parties, industry federations and related organizations in making proposals and suggestions about major economic issues such as expanding domestic consumer demand and maintaining price stability; increasing guarantees for the supply of agricultural products; strengthening innovation, energy conservation and emission reductions and deepening reforms in fiscal, taxation, financial and other priority areas and key links."

Jia Qinglin called promoting social harmony and stability a "bounden duty" of the CPPCC, which mainly includes reforms on the income distribution system, development of the social credit rating system as well as supervision of food safety.

Jia also pledged to promote cultural reform and development by taking advantage of the advisory body's rich think tank with outstanding cultural talent as well as its substantial quantity of cultural resources.

Other highlights that made the session's top agenda include developing pragmatic exchanges with Taiwan, and getting its people, especially young ones, to identify more closely with the Chinese nation and culture.

What's more, Jia said developing friendly external relations with other nations would create a favorable external environment and conditions for China's further development.

"We will actively exchange high-level visits with foreign countries, strengthen and develop traditional friendships, increase mutual political trust with relevant countries, and strive to win the international community's understanding of and support for China's concept of scientific, harmonious, peaceful, and cooperative development."

More than 2,000 political advisors will discuss these major issues concerning the country's development during the ten-day annual session.

More than 6,000 proposals were deliberated during last year's session, many of which were adopted and became the guiding principles for China's Twelfth Five-year Plan, which lasts from 2011 to 2015.

Founded in 1949, the CPPCC consists of elite figures from Chinese society who are willing to serve the think tank for the government and for the legislative and judicial bodies.

As an open forum where the ruling Communist Party of China, non-Communist parties and people with no party affiliation discuss state affairs freely and on an equal footing, the CPPCC is considered the manifestation of China's socialist democracy.

For CRI, this is Wei Tong.