Xi Jinping stresses fully utilizing CPPCC's political advantage

President Xi Jinping on Friday called for further efforts to fully utilize the salient political advantage of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in advancing whole-process people's democracy.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at a meeting celebrating the 75th anniversary of the CPPCC's founding, held in Beijing.

It has been proven through practice over the past 75 years that the CPPCC is an innovative political system involving political parties, prominent individuals without party affiliation, people's organizations, and people from all walks of life and ethnic groups under the leadership of the CPC, Xi said.

The CPPCC holds distinctive political value in the development of China's political system, he added.

Xi summarized key aspects of the Party's important thinking on strengthening and improving the work of the CPPCC. These include upholding the Party's overall leadership over the CPPCC, enhancing the CPPCC's role as a specialized consultative body, and improving the country's new type of socialist political party system, among others.

Noting that consultative democracy is an important part of whole-process people's democracy, Xi said favorable conditions should be created to continuously promote the extensive, multilevel and institutionalized development of consultative democracy.

Xi called on the CPPCC to ensure the integration of Party leadership, the united front and consultative democracy, and to rally the people's support for the advancement of Chinese modernization.

Xi urged the CPPCC to encourage political parties, organizations, and people from various ethnic groups and social sectors to strengthen political unity and cooperation, pursue common progress in thinking, and enhance coordination in action.

The CPPCC should leverage its strengths in pooling talent and wisdom to address major, complex and pressing issues in areas such as the advancement of Chinese modernization, and enhance consultation and deliberation, Xi said.

He added that the CPPCC should enhance its political guidance for intellectuals who are not Party members, people working in the non-public sector, people in emerging social groups, and religious figures.

Xi stressed the importance of improving mechanisms that ensure thorough consultation and interaction, where diverse opinions are fully expressed and broad consensus is reached, as well as the construction of mechanisms reflecting social conditions and public opinion, and engaging with and serving the people.

He also highlighted the importance of helping political advisors deepen their understanding of the CPPCC, increase their competency in consultation and deliberation on state affairs, observe discipline and regulations, and follow moral standards.

CPC committees at all levels should strengthen their leadership over the work of the CPPCC, Xi said.

Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi, all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and Vice President Han Zheng attended the meeting.

Wang Huning, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, presided over the meeting.

Wang said that Xi's important speech has provided direction and fundamental guidance for the high-quality development of the CPPCC's work in the new era.

He urged earnest efforts to study, understand and implement Xi's important thinking on strengthening and improving the work of the CPPCC, and stressed the importance of consciously upholding Xi's core leadership within the CPC and maintaining the authority and centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee.