Jia Qinglin delivers a report on the work of the country's top political advisory body CPPCC at the opening meeting of its annual full session in Beijing, March 3, 2012. [Photo/Asianewsphoto]

Following are highlights of the Work Report of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, which was distributed to journalists upon the opening of the session:

Lending wisdom to economic development and reform

-- During the Fourth Plenary Session of the 11th CPPCC National Committee, political advisors deliberated and offered suggestions on major economic issues and submitted 6,076 proposals and made 774 speeches. Many of their comments and suggestions were incorporated into the 12th Five-Year Plan and the Party and government's special plans and policy documents.

-- Political advisors made 85 inspection tours and investigations and studies on special topics, attended a special meeting of the Standing Committee concerning major issues in the implementation of the 12th Five-Year Plan and submitted a number of high-quality comments and suggestions.

-- This year, the Standing Committee of CPPCC National Committee will coordinate the democratic parties, federations of industry and commerce, subcommittees of the CPPCC National Committee, and local CPPCC committees in making proposals and suggestions on major economic issues.

Working for cultural reform

-- Over the past year, the CPPCC made full use of its personnel and resource advantages and channels of communication to participate in socialist cultural development and made positive contributions.

-- The Standing Committee of CPPCC National Committee worked with the democratic parties, Party and government departments, local CPPCC committees, and cultural institutions, and made significant progress in protecting the Shudao Cultural Route and applying for it and West Lake in Hangzhou to be included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.

-- The CPPCC actively gave impetus to taking outstanding traditional Chinese culture global and held the Beijing Forum on Passing on and Developing Chinese Dramatic Arts in the mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

-- The Standing Committee will organize CPPCC National Committee members, especially those who are experts and celebrities in the cultural field, and unite with people from all sectors to carry out investigations and discussions on major cultural issues this year.

Promoting social harmony

-- In the past year the Standing Committee of CPPCC National Committee received and dealt with 60,522 letters and visits of CPPCC committee members and the people.

-- It composed and submitted to the central leadership 252 reports on social conditions and popular sentiment, and reported 1,896 comments and suggestions.

-- Investigations and studies were conducted on developing ethnic minority areas on the country's borders, urbanizing ethnic autonomous counties and banners, and providing Xinjiang with one-to-one assistance.

-- This year it will carry out investigations, studies, deliberation and democratic oversight on major issues in social development.

-- It will intensify the work of passing on information concerning social conditions and popular sentiment; properly handle people's letters and visits to the CPPCC; keep channels open and free for collecting and reporting information.

Boosting cross-Straits exchanges

-- Investigations and studies were conducted in the past year on how to stimulate the development of Taiwan-funded small and medium-sized enterprises and promote cross-Straits agricultural cooperation.

-- The Standing Committee of CPPCC National Committee conscientiously listened to the desires and requests of Taiwan business people who run such enterprises or agricultural pioneer parks, and passed their views on to the central leadership.

-- This year it will do researches on how to deepen cross-Strait cultural exchanges and get the people of Taiwan, especially young people, to identify more closely with the Chinese nation and culture.

Expanding international cooperation

-- Over the past year, the Standing Committee of CPPCC National Committee sent 39 delegations to 56 countries for state visits or to attend international conferences; hosted 11 visiting delegations from 10 countries and one regional organization.

-- A delegation from the CPPCC National Committee made an official visit to the United Nations and addressed the 19th Session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development.

-- It successfully held the ninth and tenth sessions of the Sino-EU Round Table in collaboration with the European Economic and Social Committee and promoted the establishment of a round table exchange mechanism for the economic and social councils and similar institutions in BRICS countries.

-- This year it will continue high-level visits with foreign countries, develop traditional friendships, increase mutual political trust with relevant countries, and strive to win the international community's understanding of and support for China.

-- It will support the China Committee on Religion and Peace to participate in the World Conference on Religion and Peace and other international conferences and forums.

Marking Revolution of 1911, CPC founding

-- The Standing Committee of CPPCC National Committee focused on the theme of revitalizing China and rejuvenating the Chinese nation, and carefully organized activities under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee to commemorate the centenary of the Revolution of 1911.

-- The CPPCC held a grand celebration for the 90th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, studied and implemented the guiding principles of General Secretary Hu Jintao's important speech on July 1.

Welcoming CPC national congress

-- The Standing Committee of CPPCC National Committee will make sure all the work of welcoming the 18th CPC National Congress is done well under the unified arrangements of the CPC Central Committee.