Contents
I. Review of the Work in the Past Five Years
II. Main Experience in the Past Five Years
III. Suggestions on the Next Five Years’ Work
II. Main Experience in the Past Five Years
Over the past five years, on the basis of carrying on fine traditions and upholding important principles, the National Committee of the Eleventh CPPCC gained the following new experience and understanding of principles in the process of studying new developments and resolving new problems, which are precious wealth of the CPPCC and should be valued, adhered to and improved upon.
1. We must always uphold the leadership of the CPC and ensure the right orientation of the CPPCC’s cause.
Upholding the leadership of the CPC is the fundamental premise of the CPPCC’s existence and development, and is also a basic guarantee that the CPPCC performs its functions and plays its role. The history of the CPPCC is a history of the united struggle of the political parties, people’s organizations and public figures of all China’s ethnic groups and sectors of society in the CPPCC under the leadership of the CPC. The CPPCC upholds the leadership of the CPC, which means that it unwaveringly implements the Party’s theories, line, principles and policies; earnestly does its work on the basis of the Party’s major decisions and plans; and works wholeheartedly to achieve the objectives and tasks set forth by the Party. It means that we make full use of the vanguard and exemplary role of members of CPPCC committees and Party members in their bodies and rally members of CPPCC committees and the people they keep contact with around the Party so that they pursue a common goal with unity of thought and action.
2. We must hold high the banners of patriotism and socialism and consolidate the common ideological and political foundation for working together.
The CPPCC is the most inclusive organization in the patriotic united front and must hold high the banners of patriotism and socialism. Only socialism with Chinese characteristics can unite the people of all our ethnic groups to jointly build China into a modern socialist country that is prosperous, democratic, culturally advanced and harmonious. Only patriotism can unite the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation, both at home and abroad, to realize China’s dream of achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. It is fair to say that in contemporary China, patriotism and socialism are the broadest political consensus of the political parties, people’s organizations and people of all our ethnic groups and sectors of society in the CPPCC. The CPPCC needs to seek consensus while respecting diversity, then promote and deepen consensus in the common endeavor of overcoming challenges and striving for success, and forge ahead under the guidance of the banners of patriotism and socialism.
3. We must stay firmly focused on the themes of unity and democracy and consolidate and develop a fine state of harmony and vitality.
Unity and democracy are the historical foundation of the creation and development of the CPPCC and they provide it with direction and a mission as it moves forward, and constitute the hallmark of the CPPCC. The CPPCC is an organization of great unity and alliance, is broadly representative and inclusive, and is capable of uniting all forces that can be united to reduce obstacles, increase impetus and form synergy in attaining the goals of the Party and country. The CPPCC is an important form of socialist democracy and an essential channel for advancing socialist consultative democracy, and it integrates consultation, oversight, cooperation and participation. It maximally accommodates and reflects comments and suggestions of all parties and effectively meets the aspirations of people from all sectors of society for orderly political participation. Unity produces strength and democracy creates vitality. Unity and democracy need to be incorporated into the whole development process of the CPPCC and every aspect of its work. We need to use solid unity to ensure broad democracy and use broad democracy to promote solid unity so that the CPPCC forever remains full of vitality.
4. We must concentrate on the central task of economic development, serve the overall interests of the country, and purposefully plan and advance the CPPCC’s work so as to make it a part of the overall work of the Party and country.
The cause of the CPPCC is an important part of the socialist cause with Chinese characteristics; therefore, we must take concentrating on the central task of economic development and serving the overall interests of the Party and country as an important principle in performing our functions, the orientation in which the CPPCC exploits its strengths, and the basic criterion for evaluating our work. In the new situation, the main objectives of concentrating on the central task and serving overall interests are to advance development in a scientific way, safeguard harmony and stability, and promote national reunification; the CPPCC’s unique strengths lie in its concentration of talent and wisdom and extensive social contacts; and its basic methods are carrying out consultations, deliberating state affairs and contributing suggestions. We need to become more aware of the need to take the overall interests of the country into account, keep to the same orientation and have the same objectives as the Party and country, work in concert with them, and pool everyone’s wisdom and strength, so as to truly become an important means by which the united front plays its instrumental role in winning victories for socialism.
5. We must put people first, work for them and always take safeguarding and realizing their fundamental interests as our starting point and goal.
The CPPCC comes from the people and does all its work for them. We must put their interests first, take their voice as our primary guide and make their satisfaction our chief goal. We must embrace the notion that the CPPCC is for the people and often ask ourselves what the people need it to do and what it can do and has done for them, so that all our work, be it deliberating government affairs, submitting proposals, making suggestions, is done for the people. We must increase our awareness that the success of the CPPCC’s cause depends on the people, so we need to often carry out fact-finding missions among them, seek wisdom from them, and raise the quality of our deliberation of state affairs and our proposals by strengthening contacts with the people and lower-level organizations.
6. We must fully understand the important position and role of the CPPCC and enhance our sense of responsibility and mission to develop the CPPCC.
The CPPCC is compatible with the system of state power, i.e. the system of people’s democratic dictatorship and people’s congresses, and it is an important institution of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC, an irreplaceable part of our political system, and an indispensable force in promoting scientific and democratic decision-making of the Party and country. People who are engaged in the work of the CPPCC, including members of CPPCC committees and the staff of their bodies, are in the forefront of upholding and improving the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC and serving the overall work of the Party and country. This is not only an honor and expression of the trust the people have in us, but is also our responsibility and mission. In particular, the CPPCC must fully realize that to play its role, it must willingly embrace the notion it must be worthy for it to obtain its position and be even more worthy to maintain its position. We must strengthen our self-improvement efforts and theoretical development in the spirit of reform and innovation; work hard to advance the institutionalization, standardization and procedurization of the CPPCC’s performance of its functions; cultivate attachment and dedication to the CPPCC; play an indispensable role in spurring development; and prove our worth with solid achievements.