The Third Session of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top political advisory body, opened in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Wednesday.

More than 2,000 CPPCC National Committee members, from across the country, will discuss major issues concerning the nation's development during the annual meeting scheduled to conclude on March 13.

After the session started at 3 p.m., CPPCC National Committee Chairman Jia Qinglin delivered a report on the work of the CPPCC National Committee's Standing Committee over the past year.

"The CPPCC (last year)...made important contributions to effectively responding to the impact of the global financial crisis, pushing forward the process of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and promoting the great cause of peaceful reunification of the motherland," Jia said.

"The CPPCC's cause entered a period of unity, harmony, pragmatic progress and vigorous development," he said.

Top Communist Party of China (CPC) and state leaders Hu Jintao, Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiabao, Li Changchun, Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, He Guoqiang and Zhou Yongkang were present at the opening meeting.

Founded in 1949, the CPPCC consists of elite members of the Chinese society who are willing to serve the think tank for the government and for the country's legislative and judicial organs.

As an open forum where the ruling CPC, non-Communist parties and people without party affiliation discuss state affairs freely and on an equal footing, the CPPCC has been the manifestation of China's socialist democracy.

(Xinhua News Agency March 3, 2010)