Highlights: China's top political advisory body holds press conference ahead of annual session

The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, China's top political advisory body, held a press conference on Monday, one day before its annual session.

Liu Jieyi, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee, said the session will begin at 3 p.m. on Tuesday and conclude in the morning of March 10.

Liu stated that all preparations for the session had been completed, and various activities had been arranged. The opening and closing meetings will be observed by foreign diplomatic envoys to China.

Reviewing the CPPCC National Committee's work in 2024, which marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the establishment of the CPPCC, Liu stressed that national political advisors have focused their efforts on the country's modernization drive, offered suggestions on state affairs, and fostered broader consensus.

They have visited villages, factories and communities, turning grassroots opinions and suggestions into policy options that inform the decision-making of the Party and the government, said Liu.

To support modernization, reform and high-quality development while ensuring social harmony, the CPPCC National Committee carried out 42 research projects on major issues, held 85 consultations and deliberations, and processed over 5,000 proposals over the past year, Liu added.

Issues high on agenda

During the press conference, Liu voiced the CPPCC's continued support for the country's economic growth, technological progress and opening up.

Liu admitted that currently, China's internal and external environment is undergoing profound and complex changes, presenting the Chinese economy with certain difficulties and challenges. However, he noted that China's economy remains fundamentally stable with numerous advantages, strong resilience and vast potential.

"The key conditions supporting China's long-term growth have not changed," said the spokesperson. "For instance, China benefits from significant institutional strengths and the advantages of a super-large market where the potential of emerging consumption trends is rapidly being unleashed. It boasts a comprehensive industrial system, with its manufacturing sector ranking first in the world for 15 consecutive years."

Stressing economic issues have always been the focus of the CPPCC in discharging its duties, Liu said over the past year, the CPPCC has done a great deal of effective work in actively advising on a series of important economic issues and helping the economy rebound.

The CPPCC has held quarterly symposiums on analyzing the macroeconomic situation, conducted in-depth surveys, research, consultations and negotiations covering topics including economic system reform, digital trade and the marine economy, and has provided references and support for the relevant government departments in formulating and implementing policies, he added.

Over the past year, Liu also mentioned, China has deepened the integration of scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation, accelerated the modernization of its industrial system, and made remarkable achievements in developing new quality productive forces.

Liu pointed out that vigorously promoting the development of new quality productive forces was another important focus of the CPPCC's work last year. The CPPCC organized its members and renowned experts and scholars in the field across the country to carry out research and interpretation of the theory of new quality productivity forces and formed a number of research reports.

The CPPCC also held in-depth consultation talks covering various topics, including data element markets and the application of artificial intelligence, and invited famous experts and specialists among CPPCC members to teach the public about general artificial intelligence, the frontiers of nanotechnology and industrialization, and other scientific knowledge, creating a scientific atmosphere to promote the development of new productivity quality forces.

As for further promoting the country's opening up, Liu said the vast number of CPPCC members have put forward many insightful suggestions. They include orderly relaxing the restrictions on foreign capital in the health sector and expanding the pilot opening-up of value-added telecommunications services, which have been absorbed and adopted by the relevant government departments and transformed into concrete policy measures.

China has vowed to promote opening up across more areas and in greater depth, he said, adding the country will continue to steadily expand institutional opening up, deepen foreign trade structural reform, optimize the layout for regional opening up, and improve the mechanism for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.