The 10th National Congress of the China Association for Promoting Democracy (CAPD) was inaugurated here Saturday.

Li Keqiang, member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Political Bureau, attended the opening session and delivered a congratulatory message on behalf of the CPC Central Committee.

In his speech, Li praised the CAPD for its role in the CPC-led multiparty cooperation and its contribution to the development of the socialist cause with China's own characteristics.

The recent 17th CPC Congress has created a sound environment for non-communist parties in the country to play a better role as a participant party, said the CPC senior official.

Li called socialism with China's own characteristics a common ideal for the people of different ethnic groups including all non-communist party members.

To continuously push forward the great cause of socialism with China's own characteristics is a common cause and a common responsibility for the CPC and non-communist parties, he said.

Han Qide, chairman of the Jiu San Society (JSS) and vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, spoke on behalf of other non-communist parties in the country. He paid tribute to the achievements the CAPD has made over the past five years.

Xu Jialu, chairman of the CAPD, submitted a report on the work of the 11th Central Committee of the CAPD. Xu said his party will seriously study and implement the essence of the CPC Congress, uphold the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and seriously carry out its duties as a participant party.

China has eight non-communist parties. Apart from the CAPD and JSS, there are the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, the China Democratic League, the China National Democratic Construction Association, the Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party, the China Zhi Gong Dang, and the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League.

The CAPD was founded in Shanghai on Dec. 30, 1945. Its present 103,000 members are mainly senior and leading intellectuals in the fields of culture, education and publishing.

The congress is scheduled to end on Dec. 7.

(Xinhua News Agency December 2, 2007)