Liu Yandong, chief of the United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, said that candidates for membership of the 10th National Committee of the CPPCC come from all sections of the workforce. The average age of the candidates is 56, 3.3 years younger than in the Ninth National Committee.

Among the 2,238 members, there are not only Chinese Communist Party officials at various levels, but also representatives from the front line of production. Many have made outstanding achievements in the country's reform and opening up. They include members of non-Communist parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce as well as representatives from various ethnic and religious groups and key figures from Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.

With members from all social strata, the CPPCC National Committee plays a vital role in China's decision-making process by providing advice and proposals to the ruling Chinese Communist Party and the central government.

A total of 120,000 people who are from non-Communist parties or belong to no parties have been elected as deputies to people's congresses at different levels while another 240,000 people of these identities have been selected as members of the CPPCC at different levels.

A total of 2,140 from non-Communist parties and without party affiliation have been appointed as deputy leaders or assistants of government organizations above county level. A further 51 were appointed as deputy heads of people's courts or procuratorates at different levels.

In the past 13 years, the central committees of the different non-Communist parties have put forward over 160 suggestions to the CPC Central Committee, the State Council and related organizations.

(China Daily January 27, 2003)