By Xinhua
Beijing : China’s top political advisory body, the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Monday kicked off its 11th session here with top leaders calling upon the participants to oppose Taiwan separatists.
A total of 2,195 CPPCC national committee members from across the country attended the opening session of the 11-day conference which will conclude March 14.
Top leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) such as Hu Jintao, Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiabao, Zeng Qinghong, Li Changchun, Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, He Guoqiang and Zhou Yongkang were present at the meeting.
CPPCC National Committee Chairman Jia Qinglin in his keynote address urged the participants to join hands with the Taiwan people to oppose and contain “separatist activities” aimed at “Taiwan independence”.
The CPPCC, which is an important component of China’s political system, has an “irreplaceable role in developing socialist democratic politics,” Jia said.
“We gave full rein to the important role of the CPPCC as a political organization and form of democracy,” Jia said in his address.
The CPPCC offers a forum where the ruling CPC, non-Communist parties and people without party affiliation discuss state affairs freely and on an equal footing.