China's top political advisor has called for seriously studying the essence of the third plenary session of the 17th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), which is ushering in a new round of rural reforms in the country.

Great efforts should be made to push forward the rural reforms, so as to consolidate and develop the country's general situation featuring a stable and fast economic development and a harmonious and stable society, said Jia Qinglin, chairman of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee.

Jia, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of CPC Central Committee Political Bureau, made a study tour in Jilin Province on October 18-22 in the company of Jilin's Party chief Wang Min and Governor Han Changfu.

During his stay, he visited local factories, villages, schools, research institutions and construction sites, and heard reports by local officials to learn about the real situation in this northeastern province.

Jia showed special interest in rural development and urged local grain-processing companies to play a leading role in promoting agricultural production, increasing farmers income and achieving prosperity in the countryside.

He urged locals to probe ways in setting up new-type rural cooperatives to speed up the formation of a new-type public service system for farming and enhance the level of public service in the agricultural sector.

In addition, the senior official highlighted the issue of improving the country's self-reliant and innovative abilities, while visiting a number of large companies in oil, railway, pharmaceuticals and research and educational institutions.

Jilin, which boasts a sound industrial foundation and a large army of scientists and teachers, has the valuable conditions for increasing its self-reliant and innovative abilities and accelerating the pace of reforms, Jia said.

Over the past few days, the top political advisor had meetings with local CPPCC officials and leaders of local branches of non-communist parties and the local federations of industries and commerce.

Jia reiterated the important role of China's political consultative system, which puts the CPC at the center while making all these non-Communist parties as participants in the country's arena, the so-called United Front, which is aimed to unite all forces around the CPC in the governance.

China must adhere to its correct political orientation and the leadership of the CPC, Jia said. He called for firmly taking the socialist road with China's own characteristics in the country's political development, under the guidance of the great banner of socialism.

(Xinhua News Agency October 23, 2008)