Official vows frugal, efficient CPPCC session

BEIJING, Feb. 28 -- Top political advisor Yu Zhengsheng on Friday vowed frugality and efficiency in the upcoming annual session of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Yu, Chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, made the remarks at a closing meeting of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee. The meeting held to prepare for the annual session that begins on March 3.

He stressed that meeting styles must be improved to make the annual session "simple, pragmatic and highly effective, clean and righteous," echoing the high-profile campaign launched by the Chinese leadership to fight extravagance, formalism and bureaucracy.

In an earlier meeting of the presidium of the CPPCC National Committee, it was decided the annual session will restrain pomp in receptions, publicity and official car use.

It also regulated that dining standards will be "strict," the number of working staff will be reduced and commercial activities be prohibited.

Friday's meeting passed drafts on the agenda of the CPPCC's annual session, the secretary-general and deputy secretary-generals for the session as well as a report on the work of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee.

It also confirmed several appointment and removal decisions, including the removal of Li Chongxi, former top political advisor of southwest China's Sichuan Province, from his post as a national political advisor.

Yu urged political advisors to pool wisdom and put forward their suggestions to advance China's democracy and exert the CCPCC's role of multi-party cooperation and political consultation.