CPPCC members and primary school students learn about meteorology during an education event in Chongzuo, Guangxi, in March. [Lu Wenfei/For China Daily]

Future role

At a meeting celebrating the 75th founding anniversary of the CPPCC held in Beijing on Sept 20, President Xi Jinping called for further giving full play to the salient political advantage of the CPPCC in developing whole-process people's democracy.

It has been proven through practice over the past 75 years that the CPPCC is an innovative political system involving political parties, prominent individuals without party affiliation, people's organizations, and people from all walks of life and all ethnic groups under the leadership of the CPC, said Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission.

The CPPCC should leverage its strength in pooling talent and wisdom to focus on addressing major, difficult and hot spot issues in areas such as the advancement of Chinese modernization, and enhance consultation and deliberation, he said.

Xi stressed the importance of improving the mechanism that ensures thorough consultation and interactions, where diverse opinions are expressed fully and broad consensus is reached, as well as the construction of the mechanism reflecting social conditions and public opinion, and engaging with and serving the people.

Wang Xiaohong, a professor at the Central Institute of Socialism, said that the CPPCC has embarked on a remarkable 75-year journey, evolving through refinement and development, and playing a pivotal role across various historical epochs.

The CPPCC epitomizes substantial inclusivity in the realm of politics, Wang said.

"It adapts to the evolving core tasks and shifting societal landscapes throughout China's history, and adeptly adjusts its composition to foster the broadest possible unity among individuals from diverse classes, strata, beliefs, and interests," she said.

A defining characteristic and strength of the CPPCC is its emphasis on consultation, which serves to cultivate widespread unity, propel multiparty cooperation, and uphold the principles of people's democracy, Wang said.

CPPCC members hailing from the grassroots actively convey the voices and aspirations of the populace to the Party and government, and engage in democratic deliberations to forge consensus on critical matters, she said.

"Simultaneously, they engage with the public, disseminating and elucidating the policy stances of the Party and government to foster consensus-building within society," Wang added.

Timeline of CPPCC's growth

1948

The Communist Party of China Central Committee proposes convening a new political consultative conference to set up a government. The call immediately gets a positive response from various democratic parties, people's organizations, nonaffiliated democrats and overseas Chinese. All later participate in the preparation of the new political consultative conference.

1949

The first plenary session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference is held from Sept 21 to 30 in Beijing. Representatives decide the location of the capital city, the national flag, the national anthem, and the calendar to be used by the People's Republic of China. They also elect the administrative council members of the Central People's Government of the PRC.

1956

Chairman Mao Zedong writes the principle of "long-term coexistence and mutual supervision" to define the relationship between the CPC and the country's non-CPC parties.

1983

All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots was added as a participating group and a group was also launched for compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao.

1991

The China Association for Science and Technology, an organization of scientists and engineers, is reintroduced as a constituent group of the CPPCC as the country promotes the development of science and technology.

1993

An economics group is set up within the CPPCC National Committee as the country looks to strengthen its focus on development.

2023

A new group is launched to focus on the environment and natural resources as China gears up efforts to build a green nation.