Chinese President Hu Jintao addresses a meeting to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top political advisory body, in Beijing, China, on Sept. 20, 2009. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

   Chinese President Hu Jintao has urged the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) to "continue carrying out its functions of political consultation, democratic supervision, and participation and raising proposals in governance, in a practical and effective way."

    The CPPCC should make new contribution to boosting the Reform, Opening-up and Socialist Modernization Drive and the great cause of a peaceful reunification of the Nation, and safeguarding world peace and promoting a common development, said Hu, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, at Sunday's gathering here to mark the 60th founding anniversary of the country's political advisory body.

    Other Party and State leaders present at the commemorative event were Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiabao, Li Changchun, Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, He Guoqiang, and Zhou Yongkang. The gathering was presided over by Jia Qinglin, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee and member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau.

    In his key-note speech, Hu described the CPPCC as a patriotic United Front of the Chinese people, a major institution of the multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC, and a main form to display socialist democracy in the country's political life.

Representatives from various fields join a meeting to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top political advisory body, in Beijing, China, on Sept. 20, 2009. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo)

    In September 1949, the first plenary conference of the CPPCC was held in Beijing, and it adopted the Common Guidelines of the CPPCC, which served as a temporary Constitution for the People's Republic, elected the CPPCC National Committee and the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China (PRC).

    Hu emphasized that over the past 60 years, the three-generation CPC leaderships, with Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping and Jiang Zemin as the core, respectively, have always given top priority and active support to the work of the CPPCC.

    He urged the CPPCC to continue taking a political road of development with Chinese characteristics, making the promotion of the Scientific Concept on Development as its primary job, playing an important role in boosting a harmonious society, making contribution to pushing forward the great cause of a peaceful reunification of the Nation, and stepping up the self-building of its own.

    To bring into full play of the CPPCC's role in the country's political life "is of great significance to improving the Party's governing capacity and consolidating the Party's ruling status," said Hu,

    Jia, who also addressed the gathering, spoke highly of Hu's speech, noting that it is of guiding importance for bringing into full of the CPPCC's advantages under the new situation.

Top Communist Party of China (CPC) and state leaders Hu Jintao (C, 1st row), Wu Bangguo (4th R, 1st row), Wen Jiabao (4th L, 1st row), Jia Qinglin (3rd R, 1st row), Li Changchun (3rd L, 1st row), Xi Jinping (2nd R, 1st row), Li Keqiang (2nd L, 1st row), He Guoqiang (1st R, 1st row) and Zhou Yongkang (1st L, 1st row) attend a meeting to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top political advisory body, in Beijing, China, on Sept. 20, 2009. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)