Chinese President Hu Jintao Monday called for closer cooperation with the country's eight non-Communist parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC) as they just finished leadership reshuffle in the past several weeks.

Hu, in his capacity as General Secretary of the Central Committee of Communist Party of China (CPC), the ruling party, met with the newly elected leaders of the eight political parties and the ACFIC, representing the business community in China.

"We meet here today to discuss the cooperation between you and the CPC, the friendship among us and the future of the country and people," Hu said. Retired leaders of the political parties and the ACFIC were also present at the meeting.

The CPC expects the eight parties to improve their capability in the participation in the country's political affairs and in supervising the ruling party, Hu said. And ACFIC is urged by President Hu to promote the private sector in the country and better lead the private businessmen.

"We hope the non-Communist parties and ACFIC will stick to the socialism with Chinese characteristics and thus lay a firm political foundation for closer cooperation with the CPC," Hu said.

They are urged to educate their members on the Scientific Outlook on Development put forth by the CPC National Congress in October and unite them to work for building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, Hu said.

Hu also called on the political parties to conduct smooth transition so as to better play their roles in political and social affairs.

In the past five years, China's multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC has made great progress, Hu said, with efforts made to improve the mechanism to embody those parties' role as the advisor, supervisor and participant in state affairs.

The eight political parties are the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, China Democratic League, China National Democratic Construction Association, China Association for Promoting Democracy, Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party, China Zhi Gong Dang, Jiu San Society and Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League.

The leaders of the eight parties and ACFIC expressed their will to hold on to the fine tradition of cooperation with the CPC, actively exercise their duty and contribute to the country's development.

Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, presided over Monday's meeting.

(Xinhua News Agency December 25, 2007)