The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) held a consultative meeting on Thursday to solicit opinions on government reform from non-CPC representatives.

The meeting was presided over by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee.

The country should deepen administrative system reforms so as to remove obstacles standing in the way of socio-economic development, Xi said.

Priority should be placed on the institutional restructuring of the State Council, China's cabinet, Xi noted.

A draft on the institutional restructuring of the State Council has been put forward by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council will be encouraged to hand it over to the upcoming first annual session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) after the draft is approved at the second plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, Xi said.

Meeting participants also discussed lists of candidates for state leaders and leading members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

The two lists were put forward after careful deliberation by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Xi said.

Xi said consulting representatives from democratic parties and people with no party affiliation on major state issues, including the selection of state leader candidates, is an intrinsic requirement for multi-party cooperation and a manifestation of socialist democracy.

During the meeting, Li Keqiang reported on a draft concerning the institutional restructuring of the State Council. Liu Yunshan explained the candidate lists of state leaders and CPPCC leading members.

Chairpersons from eight democratic parties, including Wan Exiang, Zhang Baowen, Chen Changzhi, Yan Junqi, Chen Zhu, Wan Gang, Han Qide and Lin Wenyi, as well as chairman of All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce Wang Qinmin and non-party representative Hao Ruyu spoke at the meeting.

They voiced support for the draft restructuring plan and candidate lists and put forward suggestions on the institutional restructuring of the State Council.

Standing Committee members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli attended the meeting.

(CNTV.cn, Xinhua News Agency February 28, 2013)