China's top political advisory body starts annual session

BEIJING, March 3 -- The National Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top political advisory body, started its annual full session in Beijing Monday.

About 2,200 members of the CPPCC National Committee from different sectors across the country will discuss major issues concerning China's development during the session, which is scheduled to conclude on March 12.

A silent tribute was observed at the opening meeting for victims of a terrorist attack at a train station in southwestern Chinese city of Kunming, in which knife-wielding assailants from Xinjiang killed 29 civilians and injured another 143 late Saturday.

CPPCC National Committee Chairman Yu Zhengsheng delivered a report on the work of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee in the past year after the silent tribute.

He said the year 2013 was the first year of comprehensively implementing the guiding principles of the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), and that the CPPCC had carried forward, made innovations in, and developed its cause.

Recalling the work of the 12th CPPCC National Committee over the past year, Yu said the political advisory body had "got off to an excellent start."

The CPPCC National Committee had performed its functions of political consultation, democratic oversight, and participation in the deliberation and administration of state affairs.

It also played its role in coordinating relations, pooling strength, making suggestions and proposals to the central leadership, and serving the overall interests of the country, he said.

Achievements were made in serving reform and development, developing consultative democracy as well as in improving its own style of work, Yu said.

Top CPC and state leaders Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli attended the opening meeting.