China's top legislative advisory body begins annual session

China's top legislative advisory body today commenced its 10-day annual session with more than 2,000 members pledging to further economic reforms to halt the slide of the world's second largest economy and improve the functioning of the ruling Communist Party.
Presenting a work report of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee at the opening meeting of its annual session, its Chairman Yu Zhengsheng said the government would make further efforts to advance economic reforms.
China's economy grew 7.4 per cent last year -- its weakest expansion in 24 years -- due to slowing domestic demand and a fragile global market.

IMF forecast said China's growth rate would fall below seven per cent this year as it was expected to further decline to 6.8 per cent this year and 6.3 per cent next year.
The CPPCC meeting, which will last for 10 days, runs almost in parallel with the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC), the country's top legislature, which runs from March 5 to March 15 this year.
The meetings are taking place amid unprecedented anti-corruption campaign in which thousands of officials, including top CPC and military officials, were being probed.

The CPPCC with over 2,229 members mainly comprised of nominated members from various walks of life and ethnic groups. It also include films stars like Jackie Chan.

Although there are no major government appointments on this year's agenda, the meetings are set to be closely watched as decisive reforms launched last year gave them extra heavy footing, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Defining the year 2015 as "a critical year for comprehensively deepening reforms, the opening year for advancing the rule of law in an all-round way and the final year for completing the 12th Five-year Plan," Yu said the CPPCC should focus their suggestions and proposals on reform and development.