By Xie Chuanjiao (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-03-03 06:54

More non-Communists are expected to become high-ranking officials following last year's appointment of two ministers who are not members of the Party, a spokesman for the nation's top political advisory body said yesterday.

"Many non-Communist personages have taken up posts at government departments and judicial bodies since China started its reform and opening up," said Wu Jianmin, spokesman for the First Session of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Wan Gang, of the China Zhi Gong Dang (Party for Public Interest), was appointed Minister of Science and Technology last April - the first non-Party cabinet minister since the late 1970s.

Two months later, Chen Zhu, a Paris-trained scientist who is not affiliated to any party, became Minister of Health.

Their appointments represent "major moves" by the Communist Party of China (CPC) to enhance socialist democracy and push forward multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC, Wu said at a press conference on the eve of the annual political advisory session.

The CPPCC session is slated to open this afternoon at the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing, and will last 11 days.

"Across China, more than 31,000 non-Communists are working as officials at and above county level, of whom at least 6,000 work at government organizations and judicial bodies at various levels," he said.

Twenty non-Communist officials are in high-ranking positions of the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate and central government departments, said Wu.

Meanwhile, the 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions on the Chinese mainland have 30 non-Communist vice-governors; and 15 big- and medium-sized cities have non-Communist vice-mayors.

The eight non-Communist parties represent specific interest groups, and serve as a conduit for complaints and suggestions from all walks of life as well as a mode of supervision of the CPC.

The 2,237 members of the First Session of the 11th National Committee of the CPPCC reflect the broadest social participation, the official said.

More than 60 percent are non-Party members, with new members accounting for 55 percent, and women members, 17.7 percent.

"As a whole they meet high standards of political integrity and enjoy wide public support," Wu said.

Data suggests that 92 percent of the members have college education of more than two years, 7 percentage points higher than those in the 10th CPPCC National Committee.

The CPPCC members are expected to discuss the government work report delivered by Premier Wen Jiabao, plan on the restructuring of central departments under the State Council, and deliberate on the reports on the work of the Supreme People's Court and Supreme People's Procuratorate.

They will also elect a chairperson, vice-chairpersons and secretary-general of the 11th CPPCC National Committee, and also members of the Standing Committee of the 11th CPPCC National Committee.

In addition, the members will adopt a political resolution at the annual session.