By the afternoon of March 9, according to the report, the annual session had received a total of 3,668 proposals from 1,936 or 86.47 percent of the CPPCC National Committee members. After examination, the report said, 3,448 proposals or 94 percent have been put on record and the remaining 220 have been forwarded to related departments for study or consultation as letters from CPPCC members.

Of the proposals put on record, 1,505 or 43.65 percent concern economic matters, 966 or 28.02 percent concern the development of science, education, culture, health and sports, and 977 or 28.33 percent were on political and legal affairs, personnel and the united front work.

Although the proposals cover a wide range of issues, special attention was focused on such hot spots as continuing to expand domestic demand, promoting national economic growth, increasing the income of farmers and the development of rural economy, improving the social security system and expanding employment and re-employment, and paying attention to environmental protection in the drive for a sustainable development.

The report described the proposals as "high in quality, factual in analysis and specific in recommendations".

(Xinhua News Agency March 14, 2003)