Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has pledged to continue the decades-old political cooperation with non-communist parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce.
Hu made the pledge in an address at Sunday's gathering hosted by the CPC Central Committee to communicate with non-communist party leaders and individuals before the forth-coming Spring Festival.
The Spring Festival, the traditional Lunar New Year's Day and the most important annual festival for the Chinese, falls on Feb. 1 this year.
Hu said it was the first such meeting between the new-generation leaders of the CPC and the non-communist parties and the federation.
The achievements China had made in its reform, opening and modernization drive were the results of close multi-party cooperation and joint efforts made by the CPC and those non-communist parties, the federation, and personages without party affiliation, Hu said.
The non-communist parties, with many intellectuals as members, could contribute their talent to the development of the country. Their participation in decision-making and democratic supervision was of great importance for China to achieve its development goal and the CPC to strengthen Party building.
(Xinhua News Agency January 27, 2003)
