Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, urged Tuesday religious believers and people who have no religion to unite in the national drive to build a relatively affluent society in an all-round way.

Jia, who is a member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Political Bureau, urged all people, both religious and without religious affiliation, to concentrate their wisdom and power on this magnificent goal.

Jia said at a national workshop on religious affairs, which was convened here on Jan. 4-6, that past experience shows that the Party's policies on religion are correct.

He called on efforts to work for the benefit of religious believers and against overseas anti-China forces' attempt to destabilize the Chinese society in the name of religions.

(Xinhua News Agency January 7, 2004)