The China Democratic National Construction Association (CDNCA), one of China's eight non-Communist parties, concluded its Eighth National Congress here Wednesday.
Cheng Siwei, a noted expert in chemical industry and management science, was re-elected chairman of the CDNCA's central committee.
He was first elected chairman of the Sixth Central Committee of the CDNCA in December 1996 and re-elected for the Seventh Central Committee in November 1997.
Cheng, in his address to CDNCA members attending the congress, said that the primary tasks of the new CDNCA central committee will include studying Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thoughts of the "Three Represents", and studying and implementing the guidelines of the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
The CDNCA seventh central committee's report, approved at the congress, urged its members to cooperate closely with the CPC and dedicate themselves to building a socialist economy, political system and culture with Chinese characteristics. The report called on members to bear in mind the goal of building a relatively affluent society, to take full advantage of their close ties with the economic community, to actively engage in socialist modernization and to carry out research on major issues regarding reform, opening-up, economic development and social stability.
CDNCA members were also asked to serve as conduits of public opinion and to put forward constructive suggestions and make contributions to China's modernization and reunification.
The present congress also elected the Eighth Central Committee of the CDNCA consisting of 185 members.
Founded in Chongqing in December 1945, the CDNCA now has 70,000 members from all over the country, mainly leaders of various democratic parties from economic circles. It thus represents a broad segment of the population and wields significant social influence.
(Xinhua News Agency December 19, 2002)
