Chinese President Jiang Zemin asked the non-communist parties of China to actively participate in the formulation of the tenth five-year plan for national economic and social development (2001-2005) and work for the rejuvenation of China.

They are encouraged to bring into full play their role of political consultation, democratic supervision, and participation in political and government affairs, Jiang said at a forum in Beijing Wednesday marking the upcoming Spring Festival, which falls on February 5.

Jiang, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, extended New Year's greetings to China's 8 non-communist parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and people without party affiliation.

He stressed that China must adhere to the system of multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China.

"There can be no ambiguity in this political principle, and it complies with China's actual conditions," Jiang said, stressing that "the Western-style multi-party system should never be copied in China."

He pledged that China will continue to advance its democratization process, improve its legal system, and perfect the leadership of the Party and the government, in order to ensure the

lasting stability of the nation. He said that 1999 was of special significance in China's development because the nation successfully celebrated the 50th anniversary of the founding of New China and resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Macao.

Also present at the forum were Party and state leaders Li Ruihuan and Hu Jintao, and leaders of the central committees of China's 8 non-communist parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and people without party affiliations.

The leaders of the non-communist parties put forward various suggestions for strengthening China's system of multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the

CPC, speeding up the exploration of the country's vast inland areas, maintaining Chinese cultural traditions in the course of modernization, heeding the influences of the Internet, and

studying tactics relating to China's expected accession to the World Trade Organization.