CPPCC prepares for new conference
By Liu Li (China Daily)
Updated: 2006-03-03 06:10

China's top advisers will have their say on big issues in drafting the 11th Five-Year Plan such as aiding rural development, technology innovation, energy saving and environmental protection, as well as the Taiwan question during the annual plenary session, which starts today.

The messages were conveyed yesterday by Wu Jianmin, spokesman for the upcoming fourth plenary session of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), at a press conference.

During the 11-day session, top advisers will discuss the draft of the 11th Five-Year Plan.

Nearly 470 proposals have been received, and more are expected ahead of Wednesday's deadline.

Research on the proposals found that CPPCC National Committee members attached great importance to issues in drafting and implementing the 11th Five-Year Plan.

Some top advisers urged involvement in rural development.

"Infrastructural construction is of vital importance in developing rural areas," Yang Bangjie, a CPPCC National Committee member who has been engaged in rural planning for a long time, was quoted by Xinhua as saying.

There is wide gap between urban and rural areas in transportation, telecommunications and water and electricity supply facilities, Yang said.

"The condition is even worse in the countryside in the western and central areas," he said.

In addition, the harmonious development of regional economies and the construction of a harmonious society were also pointed out by the top advisers.

"They also called for improvements to the social security system, an acceleration of medical reform and the promotion of safety production," Wu told yesterday's press conference.

As for the Taiwan question, the top political advisory body supports Chinese leaders' speeches denouncing Taiwan authorities' decision to stop the operation of the "National Unification Council" and the application of "National Unification Guidelines," according to Wu.

Wu is president of the China Foreign Affairs University and vice-director of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the CPPCC National Committee.

According to schedule, top advisers will hear two work reports today from Jia Qinglin and Luo Haocai, chairman and vice-chairman of the CPPCC National Committee.

Wu also said Vice-Premier Huang Ju, who was hospitalised "for physical unfitness," is recovering.

Huang, 66, is in the nine-member Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.

(China Daily 03/03/2006 page2)