The 1st session of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) grandly opens at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 3.　

The 1st session of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) opens in Beijing on March 3. CPPCC members from all walks of life will focus on people’s livelihood, discuss state affairs together, actively offer advice and suggestions, and convey the voices and sentiments of the public. The photo shows the opening ceremony.

Executive chairmen of the presidium of the 1st session of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) sitting at the front row of the podium are Yu Zhengsheng, Du Qinglin, Ling Jihua, Han Qide, Pagbalha Geleg Namgyai, Tung Chee-hwa, Wan Gang, Lin Wenyi, Luo Fuhe and Ho Hau Wah.

Party and state leaders Hu Jintao, Xi Jinping, Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiabao, Jia Qinglin, Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli sit on the podium and congratulate the opening of the conference.

Jia Qinglin, chairman of the 11th CPPCC National Committee, delivered work report on behalf of the Standing Committee of the 11th CPPCC National Committee. He pointed out that the past five-year witnessed China’s success in overcoming severe challenges and making extraordinary achievements in reform, opening up and the development of socialist modernization. It was also a time that the cause of CPPCC continued with constant innovation and consolidation.

Jia Qinglin indicated that, over the past five years, our development had not only faced rare opportunities, but also encountered serious challenges such as the impact of the global financial crisis. We adhered to the principle of facilitating scientific development as top priority in our effort to fulfill our functions and roles. We always focused on the central task of economic development, concentrated on the comprehensive, strategic and forward-looking issues related to economic and social development. We had convened 11 special Standing Committee meetings to discuss government and political affairs and consultation meetings, conducted 509 investigation and inspection activities, and offered a large number of high-quality comments and suggestions. By focusing on the formulation and implementation of the 12th Five-Year Plan, we offered suggestions such as developing strategic emerging industries, promoting urbanization and the building of new socialist countryside, and implementing marine strategy. Many of them were accepted and incorporated into the 12th Five-Year Plan and other special plans. By focusing on the contradictions and problems brought by expedited transformation of the economic development pattern, we offered suggestions on concentrating on expanding domestic demand and stabilizing external demand, vigorously developing the real economy, enhancing the capability of innovation, developing modern service industries, strengthening national defense and etc. They had provided important references for promoting strategic adjustment of the economic structure.

Jia Qinglin emphasized that, CPPCC regarded the building of ecological civilization as an important focus in the effort to fulfill our functions and roles, continued to offer advice and suggestions through investigations and inspections, conferences and forums, proposals and information. Our proposals including the establishment of a binding target for total energy consumption during the 12th Five-Year period, a paid use of resources, the set-up of comprehensive supporting reform pilot areas for the transformation of resource-based economy, integrated approaches for urban air pollution control, paying attention to reforms of forest and deepening collective-forest-right system, and enhancing the protection of high-quality water resources in the “origin of the three rivers”, Hengshui Lake and Qiandao Lake, have received close attentions from the CPC Central Committee and the State Council and been adopted.

With regard to the suggestions for the next five years, Jia Qinglin emphasized that CPPCC should closely revolve around the promotion of scientific development and the facilitation of social harmony and offer suggestions & consultations. CPPCC should focus on the main theme and main line of the 12th Five-year Plan period, conduct in-depth inspections and investigations, offer suggestions, and provide references for the scientific and democratic decision-making process of the CPC and the government on major issues regarding socialist economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological development as well as deepening reform and opening up.

Wan Gang, entrusted by the Standing Committee of the 11th CPPCC National Committee, made a report on the proposals of the 11th CPPCC. According to Wan, revolving around the main theme of scientific development and the main thread of accelerating transformation of the pattern of economic development is a major task of CPPCC and an important focus for its members to fulfill their functions and roles. Proposals, such as strengthening grassland conservation, implementing regional air pollution prevention and control, reinforcing environmental protection in rural areas, enhancing the comprehensive control of pollution in river basins, and managing motor vehicle PM2.5 emissions, have strongly facilitated the progress of related work.