New head of China Democratic League elected

 BEIJING, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- Zhang Baowen was on Thursday elected chairman of the Central Committee of the China Democratic League (CDL), a non-Communist political party with about 230,000 members.

The party concluded its 11th National Congress on the same day.

The national congress elected its new central committee composed of 282 members. It also examined a work report by the CDL's 10th Central Committee and approved a draft amendment¹ to its constitution.

When addressing the first plenary meeting of the CDL's 11th Central Committee, Zhang said on Thursday that the new leadership would put promoting the country's scientific development top of its agenda when its members participate in, and deliberate on, state affairs.

Zhang told CDL members, mainly senior and leading intellectuals in the fields of culture, education, science and technology, to use their wisdom and focus on issues including adjustment of economic structure, building China into an innovative² country, promoting cultural development, and educational reform.

Zhang, 66, joined the CDL in 1986. He served as vice³ agriculture minister from 2000 to 2008, and became executive vice chairman of the CDL central committee in 2007.

He is also a Standing⁴ Committee member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's national political advisory⁵ body.

Zhang's predecessor⁶ was Jiang Shusheng, who had served as CDL chief since 2005.

The China Democratic League was secretly established on March 19, 1941, in Chongqing, and was then named the China Democratic Political League. In September 1944, the China Democratic Political League held a national congress in Chongqing and decided⁷ to rename itself the China Democratic League.

It is one of the eight non-Communist parties in China that participate in state affairs under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Under the multi-party cooperation system, the CPC and non-Communist parties work together and supervise each other.

1 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

2 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。

3 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

4 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

5 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

6 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。