The First Session of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) was held in Beijing between September 21 and 30, 1949.

The session was attended by a total of 662 representatives from all walks of life and Mao Zedong was elected chairman of the First CPPCC National Committee.

In September 1954, the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, came into being, and hence the CPPCC would no longer exercise power on behalf of the NPC, but it has continued to exist as an organization of patriotic united front with the broadest representation.

Annual sessions of the CPPCC National Committee have been the most solemn gathering for political consultation in the country.

The first sessions of the second, third and fourth CPPCC national committees were held respectively in 1954, 1959 and 1964, at which Mao Zedong was elected honorary chairman of the national committees and Zhou Enlai chairman.

Altogether 1,988 members attended the First Session of the Fifth CPPCC National Committee, which was held in Beijing from February 24 to March 8 in 1978. It was the first of its kind after the end of the disastrous "Great Cultural Revolution" of 1966-76. Deng Xiaoping was elected chairman of the Fifth CPPCC National Committee.

The First Session of the Sixth CPPCC National Committee was convened from June 4 to 22 in 1983 in Beijing with 2,039 participants. And Deng Yingchao was elected its chairperson.

The Seventh CPPCC National Committee held its first session between March 24 and April 10, 1988 in Beijing with 2,081 participants. Li Xiannian was elected its chairman.

The First Session of the Eighth CPPCC National Committee was convened in Beijing between March 14 and 27, 1993 in Beijing with 2,093 participants. It elected Li Ruihuan its chairman.

The First Session of the Ninth CPPCC National Committee was held in Beijing between March 3 and 14, 1998 in Beijing, with 2, 196 participants. Li Ruihuan was re-elected its chairman.

(Xinhua)