Celebrity members of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) have courted public criticism for their "conspicuous and repeated absence" from the top political advisory body's annual full sessions.

More than 120 members of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), including internationally famous film director Zhang Yimou, actress Gong Li and five other celebrities, are absent from the advisory body's annual full session.

The current National Committee of the CPPCC has 2,280 members, who are from 34 social circles.

Beijing-based China Times said Zhang and Gong are absent because they are shooting films.

It is the second time in a row that Gong Li failed to attend the top advisory body's annual session.

"Gong should quit the CPPCC National Committee if she is really unable to perform her duty, even during the once-a-year important session," a columnist wrote in an article published on Friday's Chongqing Evening News, a newspaper based in the southwestern municipality of Chongqing.

The information official with the CPPCC National Committee conceded that the constant absence of some celebrity members from important meetings of the advisory body has become a problem and the Committee is considering effective ways to "deal with this problem." But he didn't elaborate on what the Committee plans to do.

Celebrities who play a role in the country's top advisory body were brought under spotlight after two Olympic gold medalists resigned their posts in the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the CPPCC in February because of their repeated absence from the organization's activities.

At a press conference ahead of the ongoing CPPCC annual session, which opened a week ago, the session's spokesman Wu Jianmin said CPPCC members are duty-bound to participate in the organization's activities and keep close contact with the masses to voice their wishes and requests.

The CPPCC charter stipulates that either national or local committee members shoulder the duties of political consultation, democratic supervision, and the discussion of state affairs.

Wu said the advisors are obliged to honor their role and observe the CPPCC charter.

The CPPCC is a patriotic united front organization of the Chinese people, serving as a key mechanism for multi-party cooperation and political consultation.

The annual session of the advisory body is scheduled to conclude on March 13.

(Xinhua News Agency March 10, 2006)