Three elected to top CPPCC posts
(China Daily)
Updated: 2005-03-13 15:24

China's national advisory body, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), concluded its annual full session in Beijing yesterday after electing Tung Chee-hwa, Zhang Meiying and Zhang Rongming as new vice-chairpersons.

The three CPPCC leaders were invited to take seats in the front row of the central rostrum immediately after the election and were greeted with long applause.

"Tung's overwhelming election win reflects the public's affirmation of his excellent job as the first chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)," said CPPCC member Timothy Fok from Hong Kong.

It also indicates that the whole nation pays great attention to the development of Hong Kong, he added.

Tung's election would help strengthen co-operation and exchanges between Hong Kong and the mainland as well benefit the long-term development of the SAR, said the adviser, who is also the president of Hong Kong's Sports Federation and Olympic Committee.

Ouyang Hua, a geologist with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said: "I expect Tung to play an important role in helping Beijing and the SAR have effective communication."

Tang Dehua, a CPPCC member and former vice-president of the Supreme People's Court, said the other two newly elected vice-chairpersons, both from non-Communist parties, would bring diversity to the membership of the advisory body.

At yesterday's closing ceremony, the advisers also adopted several resolutions, vowing to achieve the country's peaceful reunification and to build a "harmonious society."

"All CPPCC National Committee members shall unite with all forces that can be united... contribute to the building of a harmonious socialist society... and promote the development of cross-Straits relations and the motherland's peaceful reunification," declared Jia Qinglin, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee.

He said the session has demonstrated the ability and charisma of CPPCC National Committee members in discussing and handling State affairs.

A considerable portion of the 4,508 proposals received are related to such issues as "scientific approach to development," "people first," "agricultural, farmers' and rural-economic problems," "balanced development," "social security," and "work safety."

CPPCC member Wei Hong of the Wa ethnic group, who is from Simao of Southwest China's Yunnan Province, said: "I'm so glad to see that the members are more concerned with problems that are closely related to ordinary people's lives."

Uniting all forces

In a political resolution adopted yesterday, the CPPCC National Committee members made a solemn pledge to "unite all forces that can be united and mobilize all positive factors to contribute to the building of a harmonious socialist society."

The resolution reflects the consensus they reached after numerous rounds of panel discussions, voicing their full support to the enactment of an anti-secession law aimed at preventing Taiwan's secession from the motherland.

The National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, is expected to vote on the adoption of the law tomorrow when it concludes its annual full session in Beijing.

"Formulation of the anti-secession law embodies our persistent stand to seek peaceful reunification of the motherland with utmost sincerity and greatest efforts, and demonstrates the common aspiration and firm determination of the entire Chinese people to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity and never to allow 'Taiwan independence' secessionist forces to secede Taiwan from the motherland in any name or by any means," says the political resolution.

Founded in 1949, the CPPCC consists of elite members of Chinese society who are willing to serve as the think tank for the government and for the country's legislative and judicial organs.