BEIJING - The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, an organization of the united front of the Chinese people, is the central organ for developing multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China.

The CPPCC is also an important forum for promoting socialist democracy in the Chinese political system.

Led by the CPC, the CPPCC consists of representatives of the CPC, eight democratic parties, people with no party affiliations, various people's organizations, every ethnic group and all walks of life, compatriots from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao, and returned overseas Chinese, as well as specially invited individuals, reflecting the interests of various social strata.

The primary functions of the CPPCC are to conduct political consultations and democratic supervision and to organize its members from all walks of life to discuss and advise on the management of state affairs.

The National Committee of CPPCC serves a five-year term. It has a chairman, a number of vice-chairpersons and a secretary-general. Each year the National Committee holds a plenary session presided over by the Standing Committee of the National Committee.

The Standing Committee presides over the work of the National Committee.

The system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC is the basic political system in China, which has many ethnic groups and many political parties.

Jia Qinglin, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, is the chairman of the 11th National Committee of the CPPCC.