At a March 9 press conference, several members of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) discussed the groundbreaking constitutional amendment that declares that “the state shall encourage, support and guide private business.”

Beijing Vice Mayor Sun Anmin, who oversees the city’s work related to commerce, auditing, labor, social security and ethnic minorities’ affairs, talked about the importance of the private sector in the nation’s capital.

“Private businesses have made huge contributions to the local economy,” said Sun. “In Beijing, the private sector has become a major component of the local economy, and private owners are mainstream contributors. The figures show that the private sector has been driving the capital’s economic growth. The city’s GDP grew 80.9 percent from 1996 to 2002. During this period, state-owned enterprises only grew 47.6 percent and collective enterprises shrank 40.6 percent. But the private sector tripled. It contributed 76.3 percent to GDP growth, compared with the 23.7 percent of the state-owned sector.”

Sun pointed out that about 90 percent of retail and service businesses in Beijing are privately owned. They employ 71 percent of the city’s workers, and account for 58 percent of the market. In 2002, private businesses paid 65.6 percent of the city’s tax revenue.

The contribution of the private sector extends beyond economic growth, job creation and tax revenues, said Sun. It also plays an important role in emancipating the mind, transforming thinking and promoting the development of the market economy while assisting in the government’s functional evolution.

Resume of Sun Anmin:

Sun Anmin, male, native of Beijing, born November 1948

Independent, no party affiliation

Bachelor’s degree in metallurgical machinery, Beijing Iron and Steel College.

Current posts: Member, 10th CPPCC Bills Committee; vice chairman, All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce; chairman, Beijing Municipal Federation of Industry and Commerce; vice mayor, Beijing Municipality

Previous posts: Deputy factory head, Beijing Heavy Machinery Factory; director, Planning and Economic Commission, Shijingshan District; deputy director-general, Beijing Foreign Economic and Trade Commission; chairman, Beijing Municipal Federation of Industry and Commerce.

(China.org.cn March 10, 2004)