Pooling strength, wisdom for national development: China Daily editorial

The fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, which began on Friday, offers more than 2,100 members of the country's top political advisory body a platform to discuss and give suggestions on major issues concerning economic development and people's livelihoods.

As the work report delivered by CPPCC National Committee Chairman Wang Yang at the opening of the session indicates, the top political advisory body has conducted extensive consultations, highlighting the achievements of a good opening year for the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) and demonstrating its importance as a specialized consultative body in the country's governance system.

This is evident in the more than 5,000 proposals that have been put forward by the CPPCC members related to almost all walks of life over the past year.

By reviewing Wang's report on the work of the CPPCC National Committee, attending the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress that opens on Saturday, and studying the Government Work Report and other key State organs' work reports, the top political advisers, who represent 34 sectors, can keep abreast of the latest developments around the country as well as fulfill their due political role.

As Wang said, the CPPCC National Committee has served well the country's high-quality development with its advisory work.

China has been facing many challenges created by the unprecedented economic and political changes across the world. So CPPCC National Committee members are required to come up with targeted proposals and solutions to enable the country to tackle these challenges, which they are capable of doing since they are professionals, and knowledgeable representatives of their respective fields.

As Wang's report shows, creating jobs and stabilizing economic growth are two key fields, along with other issues including pandemic prevention and control, food security, population policy and nursing services for the aged, that call for the political advisers to come up with more workable and forward-looking suggestions, because they can help the lawmakers and policymakers to further address the needs of national development.

The unique contribution the national and local advisory committees have made to promoting good governance — since the founding of the CPPCC in 1949 through to the current development trajectory of China — speaks volumes of the importance of the political system with Chinese characteristics to the country and epitomizes a key facet of whole-process people's democracy, which ensures people from all walks of life have a say in State affairs.