Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) to better fulfill its role as a body dedicated to consultation, work to build consensus and promote unity, and steadily improve the quality of its work. 

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at the Central Conference on CPPCC Work, which also marks the 70th anniversary of the CPPCC, in Beijing.

The president stressed the important role of the CPPCC in achieving the two goals before its 100th anniversary.

They are building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and to build China into a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, and harmonious.

Xi praised the work of the CPPCC during the past 70 years, noting that it fulfilled its duties with commitment to pursuing unity and democracy.

The president also laid out the expectations for the future work of the CPPCC. He said that the advisory body must uphold the party leadership in the new era, improve its consultation competence, and adhere to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The CPPCC system, as a new type of party system growing from China's soil, should better unite all political parties and people without party affiliation to put forward proposals on current affairs, discuss the government's work reports, and carry out democratic supervision, Xi added.

The CPPCC system should also pay greater attention to people's ever-growing needs for a better life in its consultations and democratic oversight, focusing on issues of immediate concern, such as education, social security and healthcare services, Xi noted.

Xi also stressed innovation and reforms in improving the efficiency and quality of the work of CPPCC members.

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China political season: What is the CPPCC?

As a distinctively Chinese political institution, the CPPCC is an important organ for multiparty cooperation and political consultation led by the Communist Party of China (CPC). It is a major channel for socialist consultative democracy and a specialized consultation body. 

Its main functions are political consultation, democratic oversight, and participation in and deliberation of state affairs.