Advertisement

China advisory body's focus is on politics, stability amid trade woes

By Daniel Uria
China's top political advisory body started its annual session Sunday, raising the curtain of a key season in the country's political calendar. Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI
1 of 4 | China's top political advisory body started its annual session Sunday, raising the curtain of a key season in the country's political calendar. Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI | License Photo

March 3 (UPI) -- Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference chairman Wang Yang said the political advisory body must focus on politics and stability amid trade war tensions with the United States.

The trade war between the two countries wasn't explicitly mentioned in the advisory body's official work report, but Wang's speech before the more than 2,000 representatives at the annual gathering in Beijing addressed how the country should react to the ramifications of the ongoing dispute.

Advertisement

"We must adapt ourselves to the changing times and changing situations, raise our awareness of potential dangers and possible concerns, fully understand all aspects of stability, and enhance measures to achieve progress," said Wang.

Wang added that the CPPCC would work toward building a "moderately prosperous society" in 2019, focusing on issues highlighted by President Xi Jinping such as financial risks, poverty and pollution.

China is projected to announce Tuesday a gross domestic product expansion target between 6 percent and 6.5 percent, down from last year's 6.6 percent, Nikkei Asian Review reported.

With growth in the world's second-largest economy decelerating as domestic consumption slows, a goal is to double income per capita by 2020 from a decade earlier.

Advertisement

Another goal Wang outlined for the body in 2019 was "unequivocally opposing Hong Kong independence" and fully implementing the "one country, two systems" principle.

He also said the CPPCC was successful in one of its main functions, forging unity, in 2018.

"We created new ways for National Committee members from ethnic minorities and religious groups to engage in study sessions, inspection tours and group consultations, and held forums to hear reports from them on social conditions and public sentiment," said Wang.

Overall, Wang assessed that the CPPCC fully played its role as a body dedicated to consultation and saw improved performance in 2018.

"We took a markedly more quality-oriented approach," he said.

Latest Headlines