Vice-Chairman Ye Xuanping of the Ninth National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) said the CPPCC made great contributions to the country's overall economic and social development in the past year.

The CPPCC took various steps to participate in discussing matters of vital significance, and raised many important and valuable proposals and suggestions, Ye said in his report on the work of the CPPCC Standing Committee. Implementation of a sustainable development strategy is one of China's state policies, and is also an important area where the CPPCC can have a role, Ye said, adding that a proposal on the country's environmental protection the CPPCC put forward last yeararoused great concern from state leaders.

Good performance of state-owned enterprises (SOE) is of vital significance to the establishment of a socialist market economic system. Therefore, CPPCC members presented some proposals on the establishment of a modern enterprise system as well as on large and medium-sized SOEs' strategic restructuring, a good preparation for the ensuing 4th Plenum of the 15th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, which focused on SOE reform.

Governing the country according to law is a basic principle adopted at the 15th Party Congress, and the CPPCC National Committee members are very much concerned about this and have donemany related research and investigations, Ye said.

The CPPCC National Committee conducted 43 special investigations last year, 27 of which were presented to state leaders. A CPPCC suggestion, for example, played a role in channeling insurance capital into the stock market via securities investment funds.

Ye spoke highly of the CPPCC's role in reflecting public opinions and maintaining national unity and social stability. "The CPPCC will assume more important responsibilities this year as China faces an arduous task in realizing its grand objectives in reform and opening-up set for the new century," he said.