Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), left Beijing Thursday for an official goodwill visit to the Republic of Korea (ROK), Austria, Spain and Portugal. 

Jia was invited by Kim One-ki, speaker of the ROK National Assembly; Anna Elisabeth Haselbach, president of the Austrian Federal Council; Javier Rojo, president of the Spanish Senate; and Mota Amaral, president of the Parliament of Portugal.

The CPPCC is China's top advisory body, consisting of representatives of the Communist Party of China, non-Communist parties, personages without party affiliation, and representatives of people's organizations, national minorities and all social strata.

The main functions of the CPPCC are to conduct political consultation, exercise democratic supervision and participate in the discussion and handling of state affairs.

Jia Qinglin, a native of Botou in north China's Hebei Province, was born in March 1940. He assumed his current post in March 2003.

Jia's entourage includes Zheng Wantong, secretary-general of the CPPCC National Committee; Liu Huaqiu, minister in charge of China's Central Foreign Affairs Office; Liu Zhongli, chairman of the Subcommittee of Economy of the CPPCC National Committee; Liu Zhongde, chairman of the Subcommittee of Education, Science, Culture, Health and Sports of the CPPCC National Committee; Liu Zemin, chairman of the CPPCC Shanxi Provincial Committee; Feng Peien, member of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee and vice chairmen of the Jiusan (September 3) Society; and Zhang Yesui, vice minister of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

(Xinhua News Agency August 27, 2004)