Report of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) on the Proposal-Related Work since the First Session of the Tenth CPPCC National Committee

Dear Members,Entrusted by the Standing Committee of the Tenth CPPCC National Committee, I am hereby making report for your deliberations with regard to the Proposal-Related Work since the First Session of the Tenth CPPCC NC. Since the First Session of the Tenth CPPCC NC, inspired by the spirit of the 16th Communist Party of China (CPC) National Congress, CPPCC members, participating organizations and special committees of the CPPCC NC have submitted a total of 3819 proposals to conscientiously implement the functions of the CPPCC and make constructive suggestions and advices to achieve the goal of building an overall better-off society. After examination by the subcommittee for handling proposals, 3576 were filed, including 84 from the central committees of the eight democratic parties and ACFIC (All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce), 59 from sectoral groups and 4 from the special committees of the CPPCC NC. By category, 1541 were connected with economic construction, accounting for 43.1%, 1017 concerned education, science, culture and sports, 28.4% and 1018 concerned politics and law, united front and other fields, 28.5%. Upon the close of the First Session of the Tenth CPPCC NC, the CPPCC NC called a meeting to hand over the proposals for implementation. The meeting handed over the proposals to more than 150 agencies, including departments concerned of the CPC Central Committee, the NPC (National People's Congress) Standing Committee, the State Council, the CPPCC NC, and Central Military Commission, the General Offices of the Supreme People's Court and Supreme People's Procuratorate, the Party committees and people's governments as well as people's organizations of various provinces, autonomous regions and centrally directed municipalities. Proposals submitted after the Session were also timely transmitted to departments concerned for handling. Those not filed were transmitted to departments concerned as letters from CPPCC members for study and handling. By February 20, 2004, 98.8% of the proposals had been replied. Of this total, 83.4% found a solution or were listed for planned solution. As for those that could not be settled for the time being due to limitation of conditions, the undertaking agencies gave factual explanations to the related CPPCC members.ISince the First Session of the Tenth CPPCC NC, CPPCC members have forwarded many informative and analytical proposals with concrete recommendations aiming to achieve socialist material, political and ethical and cultural development. Their proposals received great attention from leaderships of the CPC CC and the State Council. Premier Wen Jiabao, and the vice-premiers and State Councilors made instructions on some important proposals, vigorously boosting their actual implementation. Proceeding from the height of implementing the important thought of Three Represents, adhering to and improving the CPC-led multi-party co-operation and political consultation system, the agencies in charge of implementing the proposals conscientiously studied the Circular transmitted jointly by the CPC CC and State Council general offices on the Opinions of the General Office of the CPPCC NC on the Handling of CPPCC Proposals (Ting Zi [2003] Doc. 8, abbreviated as Circular of Two General Offices). Many functional departments visited the proposal submitters of their own accord, took energetic measures to adopt and implement the opinions and recommendations in the proposals so that the CPPCC proposals played an important role in making decision-making more democratic and scientific, promoting coordinate economic and social development and improving departmental work. In terms of economic construction, CPPCC members have always focused their attention on such major issues as improving the socialist market economic system, pushing forward economic restructuring and promoting agricultural and overall rural economic development. Proposals with this regard received great attention from the agencies in charge and were dealt with conscientiously. For example, with regard to proposals to strengthen corporate sincerity management and set up credit archives, the People's Bank of China led and joined the special work group of individual and enterprise trust soliciting system composed of 16 ministries and commissions, and submitted an overall scheme to the State Council after investigations and study. The State Administration for Industry and Commerce tightened market monitoring in the meanwhile. With regard to proposals to reform and improve land requisition system and guarantee the interests of farmers whose land is requisitioned, the Ministry of Land and Resources absorbed some important recommendations in the proposals when drafting the policy opinions on management of requisitioned land and the Regulation on Land Requisition after exchanging ideas with the proposal makers. With regard to the proposal to list Heilongjiang Province as a pilot province in the country to separate social functions from enterprises, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council quickened the work to separate social functions from enterprises while handling the proposals and issued a circular on further improving the restructuring work. With regard to the proposals to encourage, support and guide private entrepreneurs toward healthier development and strengthen Party building efforts in non-public enterprises, the United Front Work and Organization departments of the CPC Central Committee directly communicated with the proposal makers and further studied ways to strengthen rearing and education of personages in the non-public economic sector; the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee further planned the Party building work in non-public enterprises. To properly implement the proposals concerning transferring water from the south to the north, the Ministry of Water Resources called expertise symposiums time and again to hear opinions extensively and profoundly. With regard to proposals to appoint CPPCC members as special environmental protection (EP) supervisors, the State Environmental Protection Administration and the CPPCC NC Population, Resources and Environment Committee made repeated studies on the EP supervisor functions and tasks as well as concrete work scheme and work mechanism, and appointed over 30 CPPCC members as EP supervisors at EP sensitive spots like Taihu valley and Three Gorges Reservoir area. In terms of education, science, culture and sports, CPPCC members tabled many proposals on issues that called for urgent solutions, including implementation of the strategy of national rejuvenation through science and education, speeding up the development of cultural undertakings and cultural industry, and deepening urban-rural medical care institutional reforms. For example, with regard to the proposals to improve the present S&T evaluation system, the Ministry of Science and Technology adopted the opinions contained in the proposals and together with departments concerned, issued the Decisions on Improving the Work of S&T Evaluation and the Method of S&T Evaluation (for Trial Implementation). The Ministry of Education attached great importance to the proposals of CPPCC members for cracking down on illicit charge of educational fees and made special interviews with proposal makers for communication. After making extensive in-depth investigations and study, it set up an inter-ministerial joint meeting system in cooperation with other ministries and commissions concerned and timely drafted an Opinion on Rooting out Illicit Charge of Educational Fees. With regard to proposals to speed up the development of China's cultural industry, the Ministry of Culture adopted the proposals actively in the course of drafting Certain Opinions on Promoting the Development of Cultural Industry. With regard to proposals to strengthen rural health and medical care institutional reforms, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and ministries of agriculture and health took an active part in the investigations and study of key proposals sponsored by the CPPCC NC and adopted corresponding measures to promote the implementation of relevant policies on rural health service system and new-type co-operative medical care system. During the period to fight SARS, CPPCC members actively contributed suggestions and advices to face the sudden disasters, and made proposals to set up fever outpatient clinics, set up concentrated hospitals at suburban areas for hospitalized treatment, and strengthen epidemical investigations and study. The Ministry of Health worked in accordance with the principle of making special arrangements for special affairs in treating the urgent proposals, timely communicated with departments concerned and handled the matter energetically in the course of hammering out relevant policy measures and organizing prevention and control of SARS. Another important aspect of CPPCC members' concern was politics and law, united front and social security as well as the hot social issues closely connected with people's interests. Agencies in charge of handling such proposals took active steps to handle and settle the matter. For example, with regard to proposals to deepen the household registration system reform and activate the mobility of population management, the Ministry of Public Security introduced seven measures to facilitate and give conveniences to the people on the basis of extensive investigations and study. It is now continuing to study adoption of other reform measures. With regard to proposals to introduce a regulation on religious affairs as soon as possible, the State Administration for Religious Affairs and the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council attached great importance to the matter and quickened the pace to complete the drafting of comprehensive administrative regulation on religious affairs after soliciting opinion from all sides. Concerning proposals to narrow the gap of income distribution, deepen the reform of distribution system, the ministries of finance and personnel, the State Administration of Taxation and other agencies in charge communicated with proposal makers and some other CPPCC members directly at workshops for negotiated handling during the Session and strengthened policy research on distribution system reforms. Concerning proposals to draw agricultural reclamation enterprise workers into basic old age retirement insurance, the Ministry of Labor and Social Security sent a special report to the State Council after making repeated investigations and study. Together with the ministries of finance and agriculture and the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, it issued a Circular on Issues Concerning Participation of Agricultural Reclamation Enterprise Workers in Basic Old Age Retirement Insurance and actively organized its implementation. Agencies in charge of implementation also handled conscientiously the CPPCC members' proposals to promote peaceful unification of the motherland, combat against corruption and for clean government, improve legal institutional systems and develop sports. To better acquaint CPPCC members with the handling of the proposals raised, this report has selected the general handling by six agencies in charge as appendixes for your reference. IIThe past year has witnessed a good beginning in the handling of proposals raised at the Tenth CPPCC NC on the basis of the work done since the Ninth CPPCC NC. This is attributable to the great importance attached by the leaderships of the CPC CC, the State Council and CPPCC NC, and the common effort of the CPPCC members and NC participating organizations, as well as proposal implementing agencies. After the close of the First Session of the Tenth CPPCC NC, the Standing Committee of the CPPCC NC has adhered to the principle of "Focusing on the Central Task, Serving the Overall Interest, Improving the Quality and Striving for Practical Results". In order to further enhance the quality of proposals, their handling and service, the CPPCC NC Standing Committee has adopted some new measures and carried out work in many fields according to the new requirements raised by Chairman Jia Qinglin and Executive Vice-Chairman Wang Zhongyu. 1. Pushed the implementation of the guidelines in the circular of the CPC CC and State Council general offices on handling the CPPCC proposals On May 11, 2003 the general offices of the CPC CC and State Council jointly issued a circular and transmitted the Opinions of the General Office of the CPPCC NC on the Handling of CPPCC Proposals. This fully demonstrated the importance attached by the CPC CC and State Council to the handling of CPPCC proposals and is of practical and historic importance to pushing forward the handling of CPPCC proposals and even to the institutional, standardizing and procedural development of the CPPCC function performance. To push the implementation of the guidelines in the circular of the two general offices, the CPPCC NC strengthened communication and co-operation with the proposal handling agencies and pushed the implementation measures timely and effectively while intensifying publicity. The undertaking agencies conscientiously studied and implemented the guidelines and furthered the improvement of the work system in proposal implementation. The chief leading comrades of many undertaking agencies made plans, gave instructions or took part personally in the handling of proposals. The NDRC and Ministry of Finance and other agencies that had to handle many proposals and faced great difficulties in so doing adopted a series of measures in a bid to handle them more quickly and practically. The general offices of local Party committees and governments jointly transmitted the opinion of the local political consultative conference general offices on handling CPPCC NC proposals, thus vigorously pushing the handling and implementation of the proposals. 2. Created the Extracts from Important Proposals To timely acquaint the leaderships of the CPC CC, State Council and CPPCC NC with the weighty opinions and recommendations in the proposals, the CPPCC NC created the Extracts from Important Proposals, which received attention from the central leading comrades. Chairman Jia Qinglin pointed out that it is highly necessary to run such an Extracts. It may timely acquaint the leaders and related departments with the important proposals raised and may spur CPPCC members to raise important proposals. Several State Council leading comrades made instructions on related important proposals and urged related departments to implement them actively. 3. Endeavored to raise the quality of proposals The quality of proposals per se is the basis of proposal handling. Imbued with the high sense of political responsibility and historical mission, CPPCC members and participating agencies have been attaching ever-greater importance to the quality of their proposals. To make the firmer basis of the CPPCC proposal handling work, the CPPCC NC has adopted many measures and methods to push the incessant improvement of the proposal quality. First of all, provide better service. To enable CPPCC members to make proposals better targeting the pivotal work and hot issues, it has delivered to all CPPCC members the General Catalogue of Proposal Categorization made at the First Session of the Tenth CPPCC NC, the disc of retrievable full texts of the proposals, and the topics selected for proposals at the Second Session of the Tenth CPPCC NC for their reference. To further enhance awareness of proposal quality, the subcommittee for handling proposals drafted a publicity outline for enhancing proposal quality to serve as speeches of subcommittee members on the special theme at panel meetings during the session. Secondly, fully display the demonstrative role of quality proposals. The proposals presented by Party and group organizations and CPPCC NC special committees featured concentrated collective wisdom, well-selected topics, thoroughgoing analysis, feasible recommendations and outstanding quality. The CPPCC NC called proposal workshops that were attended by leading members of democratic parties and ACFIC and CPPCC NC special committees to exchange experience in enhancing proposal quality. A number of exemplary models were provided for improving proposal quality through the publishing of the book entitled Grasping the Will of the People -- Selections of the Tenth CPPCC NC Proposals and Replies (Volume 2003). Thirdly, set strict requirements on passing proposals for file. In accordance with the requirements of the CPPCC NC Proposal Work Regulation, no filing was made of proposals not in compliance with filing requirements and the proposal makers were timely given explanations. 4. Energetically pushed the implementation of proposals First of all, stress the implementation of key proposals. Adhering to the past effective methods, the CPPCC NC adopted the three-in-one form of combining the subcommittee for handling proposals, proposal makers and undertaking agencies for face-to-face consultation symposiums, or made joint investigations and study in connection with key proposals defined by researches. All designed to further deepen and substantiate proposal recommendations and push them for emphatic implementation. Vice chairpersons of the CPPCC NC took part in the consultative symposiums for proposal implementation, investigations and study activities concerning key proposals and proposal implementation symposiums respectively, thus intensifying proposal implementation. The past year witnessed eight consultative symposiums, and seven investigations and study activities on key proposals. For example, some democratic parties and groups and CPPCC members tabled many proposals concerning putting in place a sound urban contingency mechanism, and the CPPCC NC timely convened consultative implementation symposiums during the First Session of the Tenth CPPCC NC and organized proposal makers and nine undertaking agencies for face-to-face communication. After the close of the plenary session, the CPPCC NC subcommittee for handling proposals carried out investigations and study in tandem with departments concerned and delivered an investigations and study report to the CPC CC and State Council. On the other hand, the related leading comrades of the State Council made important instructions explicitly urging departments concerned to give serious consideration to the recommendations from the subcommittee for handling proposals and make clear which recommendations to be adopted. To push the implementation of the proposals to protect the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes and make facility construction, the CPPCC NC organized joint investigations and study activities with the participation of the proposal makers and proposal undertaking agencies like the NDRC, State Administration of Cultural Heritage and National Tourism Administration and raised concrete recommendations in their investigations and study report to the CPC CC and State Council. Leading comrades including Premier Wen Jiabao and Chairman Jia Qinglin made instructions respectively and the departments concerned are now making serious study for implementation. Secondly, strengthen contacts and coordination with undertaking agencies. Through multiple forms such as consultation for handover in implementation, holding joint investigations and study, convening symposiums and making interviews at doorsteps, the CPPCC NC exchanged information and increased consensus with the proposal undertaking agencies. The past year saw interviews of the subcommittee for handling proposals with undertaking agencies like State Environmental Protection Administration, State Intellectual Property Office, Zhejiang Provincial People's Government, State Commission Office for Public Sector Reform, the People's Bank of China and Ministry of Commerce (MOC). In September 2003 the CPPCC NC called a work symposium drawing participation from some proposal undertaking agencies for proposal implementation. The symposium exchanged information about the implementation of the circular guidelines and disseminated experience in proposal implementation. 5. Displayed proposal role via multiple channels Firstly, deliver timely the proposals of the central committees of democratic parties and ACFIC and CPPCC NC special committees to the chairman and related vice-chairpersons of the CPPCC NC for their review and instructions. Secondly, distribute related proposals to various special committees in the light of different contents for reference in their investigations and study. Thirdly, arrange related proposals into seven overall data on the topics of the second meeting of the Standing Committee of the Tenth CPPCC NC -- for the reference of the meeting, and based upon investigations and study on key proposals, make a speech at the meeting on problems and countermeasures in China's employment and re-employment. Fourthly, transmit important information and viewpoints in the proposals to the central leadership via CPPCC Information bringing instructions back from related central leading comrades. 6. Intensified publicity on proposal work While bringing into full play the role of internal publications such as Correspondence on Proposal Work and Bulletin on Proposal Work, multiple forms were adopted to intensify communication and collaboration with the mass media and keep expanding the social impact of proposals handling. For example, it invited mass media to join related activities of the subcommittee for handling proposals, convened proposal handling briefings to provide them with clues of systematic news reports, actively publicized the role and impact of the CPPCC via CCTV News Channel such as the Voice column, publicized the proposal content summation and handling via the CPPCC newspapers and journals, and published the whole text of certain proposals on the Internet, etc. 7. Strengthened contacts with local CPPCC committees Through holding multifarious forms of activities including investigations and study, handling proposals on the spot as well as symposiums and workshops, the CPPCC NC actively communicated with their local counterparts, and strengthened coordination and exchanged experience with them for mutual promotion purposes. It vigorously disseminated their new line of thinking and new measures and new results in proposal handling work. III Proposal-related work is an important part of its overall work. Confronted with a new situation and new requirements, it has a long way to go and calls for the study of and solution to the following problems in the year to come:Continue to enhance the awareness of the importance of the proposal-related work, keep abreast with the times, open up and make innovations. On the basis of making in-depth study, the CPPCC NC Standing Committee will actively probe new and practicable ways and means into proposal-related work so that departments concerned will take up their own responsibilities, make exertions, and coordinate with each other for overall promotion. Correctly handle the relations between the quantity and quality of proposals and further enhance proposal quality. For proposals to capture attention from functional departments and get implemented, the key is to improve the quality of proposals per se. Therefore, it is necessary not only to pay attention to the quantity of proposals, but more importantly, the quality of them. It is essential to firmly grasp the awareness of proposal quality and make consistent improvements, carefully select the topics and table practicable opinions and recommendations focusing on pivotal work, serving the general interests of the nation and in the light of decision-making requirements. Stress on displaying the overall advantage of the CPPCC, and intensify collaboration on proposal-related work. The CPPCC NC special committees should make use of their own advantage and pay attention to the results of investigations and study as well as the weighty opinions and recommendations from various important meetings, change them into proposals and take an active part in the crucial handling of the key proposals. The subcommittee for handling proposals should further strengthen contacts with the central committees of the democratic parties and ACFIC and related people's organizations and jointly promoted the implementation of the proposals through joint investigations and study. Further strengthen contacts and collaboration with proposal undertaking agencies to make proposal handling more effective. The subcommittee for handling proposals and its office should fully display the role of the link between the proposal makers and the undertaking agencies, offer to communicate and coordinate with the undertaking agencies, back them up closely and strengthen track down and implementation in a bid to enhance proposal implementation quality. Keep strengthening proposal work mechanism construction in a bid to enhance service quality. It is necessary to further the institutional, standardizing and procedural development and do a good job of revising the Regulation on Proposal Work in the light of the newly revised constitution of the CPPCC. Call the Fifth Proposal-Handling Work Forum of the CPPCC NC at a suitable time this year. It is necessary to fully apply the modern information technology and boost work efficiency and to upgrade service levels comprehensively. Fellow Members, Let us unite closely around the CPC CC with Comrade Hu Jintao as the general sectary under the guidance of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents, and conscientiously implement the functions of the CPPCC in the great cause of building socialism with Chinese characteristics and work towards creating a new situation of CPPCC proposals handling!