Profile: Yu Zhengsheng: A frank, devoted friend

"If you have any questions, bring them up. If you have any problems or any worries, tell us. Only by being frank can we become devoted friends."

Yu Zhengsheng spoke these words from the heart when listening to the opinions of members of the fifth session of the eighth Hubei Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in 2002. Yu was then the secretary of the Hubei provincial committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Eleven years later, on March 11, 2013, Yu was elected chairman of the 12th National Committee of the CPPCC, becoming the new leader of China's most extensive patriotic united front organization. He is the eighth chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, after Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Deng Xiaoping, Deng Yingchao, Li Xiannian, Li Ruihuan and Jia Qinglin.

SEEK ADVICE WITH SINCERITY

"Long-term coexistence, mutual supervision, utter mutual devotion, and sharing weal and woe" -- these are the basic principles of cooperation between the CPC and the country's democratic parties. Since he was elected a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on Nov. 15, 2012, Yu has significantly increased his interactions with each of the democratic parties.

In late December, although the temperature had dropped to 10 degrees below zero Celsius in Beijing, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Central Committee of the CPC, and Yu paid visits to the central committees of China's eight democratic parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce in one-and-a-half days.

At year's end, the democratic parties successively held meetings to choose new leaders. Yu attended the 15th national congress of the Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party, and the 11th national congress of the China Association for Promoting Democracy. He delivered congratulatory speeches on behalf of the Central Committee of the CPC, stressing that China would adhere to and improve the CPC-led system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation, improve the system of socialist consultative democracy, and promote cooperative democracy to realize broad, multilayered, systematic development.

The CPPCC is an important institution led by the CPC for multiparty cooperation and political consultation. On March 4, when he called on members of the first session of the 12th National Committee of the CPPCC and joined in discussions, Yu stressed that the CPPCC is a political organization and form of democracy with Chinese characteristics, and China should fully realize the important purpose of the CPPCC.

Looking back at Yu's political career, one can see that he has been closely associated with the CPPCC. When Yu was the secretary of the CPC Shanghai municipal committee, the interaction between Yu and the municipal committee of the CPPCC left behind many memorable stories.

In 2009, Yu attended a special conference of the second session of the 11th municipal committee of the CPPCC. When the members finished speaking at the conference, Yu -- according to established routine -- was supposed to "deliver an important speech." However, to everyone's surprise, Yu asked the members to "put forward questions." That day, he answered all the questions of the members and warmly exchanged views with them. Yu touched on topics ranging from coping with the international financial crisis, to traffic, housing, employment and other issues concerning people's well-being.

In 2012, Yu attended the fifth meeting of the 11th Shanghai municipal committee of the CPPCC. Having listened to the speeches of the members, Yu said, "Let me open my heart to you and say what I think of Shanghai." He began by talking about a comedic entertainment program performed by the members. He then spoke glowingly about his understanding of Shanghai's culture and how Shanghai should make the best of its advantages, realize its potential and seek breakthroughs.

"This time, I've exposed my 'liver' and 'gall'," Yu said, using a Chinese phrase to mean "sincerity." "Let's put our heads together to generate more ideas!" With this, Yu concluded his speech that day.

With such sincerity and credibility, Yu has turned into a bosom friend of CPPCC members.

"We must give full play to the role of people outside the Party to supervise our performance. We sincerely welcome them to help us correct the shortcomings and errors in our work," Yu said. He made the remark at the annual national meeting of directors of the United Front Work Department in late December after he came to work as a member of the CPC central leadership. His words were full of sincerity, in the hope of making more intimate and forthright friends for the CPC.

PROMOTE UNITY WITH SINCERE CARE　　

A few days after New Year's Day, Garze, a Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China's Sichuan Province, on the eastern tip of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, remained enveloped in bitter cold. A guest from afar walked into the house of Chagxi Zhoema, an old man living in Qangba Village, Lhagang Township, in Kangding County. The guest was Yu, elected to the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee 50 days before.　　

On Jan. 6, Yu flew to Gongga Airport in Kangding, 4,200 meters above sea level. He immediately started to conduct an investigation in this prefecture -- the first ethnic autonomous prefecture founded after the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949.　　

Yu sat next to Chagxi Zhoema and exchanged small talk with him while holding the host's lovely child in his arms. On the second day, he braved heavy snow to travel to Laoyulin Village in Lucheng Town, in order to visit Chotsu, who had fallen into poverty because her husband suffers from uremia.　　

In Garze prefecture, a vast distressed area, Yu visited local people to understand their feelings. Despite being fatigued from his journey, Yu steadily pondered what he saw.　　

When Yu spoke with the county and prefectural officials of Garze, he did not speak in generalities, but instead put forward detailed and substantial requirements, similar to writing a "prescription": These requirements included actively developing secondary and higher vocational education to improve the competitiveness of young people in the job market; creating more job opportunities for laborers in Tibetan areas in China's inland region to raise family incomes through new jobs, and more.　　

After the 18th National Congress of the CPC, Yu assumed new responsibilities. Since then, his timetable has been dominated by ethnic minority and religious work.　　

In late January, Yu paid visits to nationwide religious bodies in Beijing. A few days before the Spring Festival, he invited the heads of these religious groups to attend discussions in Zhongnanhai, the headquarters of the CPC. He extended Chinese New Year greetings to religious circles and the broad mass of religious believers on behalf of the CPC Central Committee and General Secretary Xi Jinping. Yu also requested Party committees and governments at all levels to be attentive to the difficulties of religious groups and the lives of religious believers and to ensure that the broad mass of religious believers would enjoy a happy and peaceful holiday.　　

Yu, showing genuine concern and great care, is devoted to cementing the unity and cohesion of the family of the Chinese nation, and to the patriotic united front.　　Unity and democracy are the two great themes of the CPPCC. Yu deeply understands this. At the national meeting of the directors of the United Front Work Department in late December, Yu made an impressive remark: "We must correctly handle the relationship between uniformity and diversity. We must always persevere in and continuously enhance common understanding as well as broad-mindedly deal with different political parties, ethnic groups, social levels, religious believers, and the masses living under different social systems, so as to realize unity based on harmony with diversity."