During the New Democratic Revolution (1919-49), the famous personages without party affiliation were generally called prominent public figures. Since the CPPCC was founded in 1949, the category of "democratic personages without party affiliation" has been set up. Currently, those who do not belong to any party but have made positive contributions to and have a positive influence on society are categorized as personages without party affiliation. They are mostly intellectuals.

The representatives of this group include Guo Moruo, Ma Yinchu, Ba Jin, Miao Yuntai and Cheng Siyuan.

The 10 Principles: Congress Conceives Guidelines for Growth

Fifty-eight years ago the Communist Party of China (CPC) came to power, and nearly 30 years ago China implemented the policies of economic reform and opening up. In October 2007 the 17th National Congress of the CPC convened and closed in Beijing under the watchful eyes of the world. Although the nation has realized rapid economic expansion and rising overall strength in governing during this ongoing phase of economic development and systematic transformation, the CPC faces serious challenges. What is ahead for China, a nation more globally engaged than ever before?

To great extent, that oft-asked all-encompassing question now has an official answer. The CPC Congress of 2007 deliberated extensively and established a cohesive array of major strategic initiatives that will significantly shape the policies of the state and benefit the lives of the people. To enable the world to better understand the global disposition of China, and how the nation will develop in the future, here we summarize those 10 major points of governmental focus and public interest.

1. Scientific Outlook on Development

This term was first proposed at a discussion on a special subject of how to "establish and apply a scientific outlook on development" by a group of provincial governmental officials in the Party School of the CPC Central Committee, February 2004. It was soon disseminated throughout the country as a new conception for the governance of the CPC.

This conception targets such problems as unilaterally going after the pace of economic growth while ignoring the conservation of resources and the protection of environment, the worsening of the imbalanced social and economic development in urban-rural areas and among regions, the growing of income disparity, and rising frequency of accidents concerning safety production --- mainly coal mine accidents --- that occurred beginning with China's rapid economic growth over the last 10 more years.

The idea of the Scientific Outlook on Development lays focus on putting people first to realize a comprehensive, balanced and sustainable social and economic development. It attaches greater importance to raising quality and efficiency to achieve sound and rapid economic development. It emphasizes more on resource conservation and environmental protection and stresses that "development is for the people, by the people and with the people sharing in its fruits."

Over the past few years during its practices of scientific development, China has initiated building a resource-conserving and environment-friendly society. The Central Government has issued privilege policies to quicken the pace of development in central and western China. The focus has been on developing rural economy and building new countryside.

The Scientific Outlook on Development has been added to the amended Constitution of the Communist Party of China at the 17th Congress, making it a temporary core governance conception of the Party, which will produce a deep, far-reaching influence on various sectors in China's social and economic development.

2. Putting People First

Not long ago, the Municipal Government of Huangshi, Hubei Province, issued the Comments on the Solutions of the Problems Concerning Rural Migrant Workers in Cities, stipulating that rural migrant workers will enjoy equal public services with urban citizens, particularly in terms of household registration, wages, their children's schooling, and social security.

This event is a manifestation of the governance conception of "putting people first" carried out by the Party. "Putting people first" means that the very basis for all development lies in the realization of the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the people. To promote a balanced social and economic development in China, it has become a focus for the Party and governments to "solve the most specific problems of the utmost and immediate concern to the people."

To protect the people's legitimate rights and interests, the Chinese Government has over the last four years rescinded the agricultural tax, which had been in place for more than 2,000 years, exempted the tuition fee of 148 million primary and middle school students in rural areas, and helped over 22.04 million laid-off workers find jobs.

Today in China, the expression of "index of happiness" and other similar terms are very popular; and that evidences the Chinese people's pursuit of a finer quality of life. This was the first time for a National Congress of the CPC to set forth the concept of "paying attention to compassionate care and psychological counseling and correctly handling interpersonal relations," aiming at creating a social atmosphere for mutual respect, mutual trust, and mutual assistance and showcasing the overall concern for people, materially and mentally.

3. Innovative Country

It was 10 years ago that Geely, a privately owned manufacturer of automobiles, began business and faced multiple obstructions. Banks didn't trust; the industry ignored; and auto parts suppliers were reluctant to cooperate. Today, however, hundreds of thousands of Geely cars are sold throughout the country as well as in other parts of the world. The majority of its parts are researched, developed, and produced by the company, and 100 percent of its core parts are made in China.

Enterprises are the main body of technical innovation. For a long period of time, however, Chinese enterprises have been lacking in independent innovation. They have suffered from this disadvantage, as a saying goes, "the sales of a computer equals the cost of a bunch of large green Chinese onion, and the sales of 1 billion shirts equals the price of a Boeing aircraft."

The harsh reality presents a common sense among the Chinese Government, enterprises and institutions of scientific research that there is no other option but to turn "made-in-China" into "innovated-by-China."

In 2005, China invested 245 billion yuan in R&D, 1.34 percent of China's total GDP. According to the government's plans, such investment will be around 530 billion yuan by 2010. At the same time, local governments have enacted policies and measures to encourage business development, respect creation, and spur innovation. Zhongguancun in Beijing is acclaimed as the "silicon valley in China"--a gathering place for quite many talented people with extensive experiences overseas.

It is a strategy for the nation's future development to "enhance China's capacity for independent innovation and make China an innovative country."

4. Capital Market

On April 3, 2007, the bell rang signaling the opening of the U.S. NASDAQ Stock Market in Beijing. Robert Greifeld, President and CEO of NASDAQ remarked that it is a way to convey the company's gratitude toward China's remarkable contributions to the world economy and commemorate that 40 Chinese companies have been listed in NASDAQ.

China is changing the idea that "shareholding system is the product of capitalist system" and now believes the system to be an important component of the socialist market economy. In the fall of 1990 two stock exchanges were established in Shanghai and Shenzhen. Today, there are more than 1,500 listed companies. By the end of September 2007, the total listed value exceeded 24.53 trillion yuan.

Over the last four years, the Chinese stock market, as a whole, has risen and family income has increased, attracting more people on China's mainland to invest in shares and manage their money in the way of funds. Not long ago, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange announced that residents from the mainland are allowed on trial to invest directly in the Hong Kong stock market, thus delivering private investment into international stock market.

Over the past 30 years, the non-public enterprises, mainly comprised of individual, private, and foreign ventures, accounted for 95.7 percent of the total of China's mainland. Last year, China drew $63 billion from foreign investment. Among the Global 500, 480 have invested in China; and 71 foreign banks have their branches in China. Today, 75 countries recognize the status of China with complete market economy.

5. Social Development

Traditionally, Chinese people hold that "it provides for one's old age to raise children." Mencius (372-289 B.C.), a Chinese philosopher and one of the greatest Confucian scholars, put forth the idea of "caring for other's elderly as good as if they were yours," an ideal society far from being reached. Nevertheless, the Chinese Government spares no efforts in perfecting its old-age insurance system through providing elderly with insurance and more pensions. It is an important part of CPC governance to attach greater importance to social development on the basis of economic development.