According to the charter of the CPPCC, its major functions are to conduct political consultation and exercise democratic supervision, organize its members from various non-CPC political parties, mass organizations and public personages from all walks of life to take part in the discussion and management of state affairs.

Political consultation covers socialist material and spiritual construction, the building of a socialist democratic legal system, important policies and planning of the reform and opening up program, reports on the work of the government, national financial and fiscal budget, economic and social development planning, major issues in political life in the country, drafting of major national laws, candidates for the state proposed by the Central Committee of the CPC, changes in the administrative division at the provincial level, major policies in foreign affairs, major policies in regard to the unification of the motherland, major issues involving people's livelihood, affairs of common interest of the political parties, important affairs of the CPPCC and important issues in regard to the patriotic united front.

Political consultation takes the forms of plenary sessions, standing committees and meetings of the chairmen of the National Committee of the CPPCC, discussion meetings of Standing Committee of the CPPCC, special committee meetings of the CPC, consultation meetings participated by people of various political parties, representative public personages without political party affiliation, mass organizations, ethnic minorities and patriotic figures from different walks of life and activities of local people's political consultative conferences at various levels.

Democratic supervision covers such areas as the implementation of the Constitution, laws and regulations of the state, implementation of major policies formulated by the CPC Central Committee and the state, the implementation of the national economic and social development plans and financial budget, conduct of duties, law observance, and honesty of state organs and their staff, the execution of decisions and regulations of the CPPCC on the part of its units and individuals.

Democratic supervision takes the forms of plenary sessions, standing committees and meetings of the chairmen of the National Committee of the CPPCC, discussion meetings of Standing Committee members of the CPPCC, special committee meetings of the CPC, consultation meetings participated by people from various political parties, representative public personages without political party affiliation, mass organizations, ethnic minorities and patriotic figures from different walks of life and activities of local people's political consultative conferences at various levels.

(China.org.cn May 20, 2003)