Private entrepreneurs are gaining a greater presence in the nation's newly elected top legislative body and its top political advisory body, a sign of their increased political participation.

Among the 2,985 new deputies to the 10th National People's Congress (NPC), the nation's top legislative body, 55 are private entrepreneurs and among the 2,238 members of the first session of the 10th National Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), 65 are from private enterprises.

This session sees more private business people than ever before among its members, according to an official from the United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, who declined to be identified.

Ten years ago, 20 private entrepreneurs sat for the first time on the Eighth CPPCC National Committee, alongside eminent intellectuals, personalities and retired leading officials.

This landmark in the nation's political reforms coincides with the fast growth of China's private sector.

Reviewing the development of the national economy in 2002, a report released by China's National Bureau of Statistics said the State-owned economy contributed one-third to the overall development of the national economy while two-thirds came from the non-State economy.

China had 2,028,500 private companies by the end of 2001.

It is understandable that, given the private sector's rising importance, private entrepreneurs will seek political positions at various levels of government, the legislative and advisory bodies, analysts said.

Zhang Houyi, researcher of the Institute of Social Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said it is natural for the private entrepreneurs to develop channels to express their political will and protect their interests and rights.

More private entrepreneurs have assumed political leadership roles shortly after the 16th CPC National Congress last November, which was unprecedented in history.

Xu Guanju, a private entrepreneur in East China's Zhejiang Province owning assets of 800 million yuan (US$97 million), was elected vice-chairman of the local people's political consultative conference in January.

Yin Mingshan, listed in "Fortune" magazine as one of the top 50 millionaires in China, is chairman of the Chongqing-based Lifan Hongda Industrial Group and vice-chairman of the General Chamber of Commerce of Chongqing Municipality, but said he was more proud of his other title, a member of the National Committee of the CPPCC.