Top political advisor meets Chinese Christian delegates

BEIJING, Sept. 12 -- Top political advisor Yu Zhengsheng met with delegates to the ninth National Chinese Christian Congress, China's top Christian authority, in Beijing on Thursday, congratulating the groups on the election of a new leadership.

Yu, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), spoke highly of the work by Chinese Christian groups in the past five years, saying they have contributed to the country's economic and social development.

Yu, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, urged Christian groups to uphold the principle of independence and self-administration and safeguard the fundamental interests of the country and its people.

Chinese Christian groups should continue to play a positive role in promoting social harmony and cultural prosperity in order to realize the great renewal of the Chinese nation, he said.

Ling Jihua, vice chairman of the CPPCC National Committee and head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, also attended the meeting.

The congress, which was held between Sunday and Wednesday, amended the constitutions of two Chinese Christian groups, the National Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM) of the Protestant Churches in China and the China Christian Council (CCC).

At the congress, Fu Xianwei was elected chairman of the TSPM and Gao Feng as president of the CCC.