The National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference holds a news conference on March 2, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua] The country's top political advisory body will actively support the implementation of the development goals of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, a spokesman said on Saturday. Guo Weimin, spokesman for the second session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said the CPPCC National Committee attaches great importance to the Greater Bay Area development, and is proactively facilitating its implementation. The CPPCC National Committee will hold thematic group discussions focusing on the Greater Bay Area during its annual plenary session, which will open on Sunday, Guo told reporters at the first press conference ahead of the annual two sessions in Beijing. The two sessions, or lianghui, are the annual meetings of the National People's Congress and the CPPCC National Committee. The central government unveiled the long-anticipated outline development plan for the Greater Bay Area on Feb 18. The development blueprint lays out the vision for coordinated development of the 11-city cluster, comprised of the two special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao, and nine cities in Guangdong province. The plan aims at developing the region into an international first-class bay area, to rival the world's top city clusters in San Francisco, New York and Tokyo. The plan is an important outline document guiding the current and future cooperation and development of the Greater Bay Area, and maintaining the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao, Guo noted. The CPPCC National Committee will make ongoing efforts to do what it can to help implement the development goals of the Greater Bay Area. Throughout the year, the committee will continue to offer suggestions and gather views from the public by holding biweekly consultative meetings and online conferences of committee members, and organizing forums and studies, Guo said. Discussions will center on how to facilitate the Greater Bay Area's bid to become an international innovation and technology hub. Committee members also will exchange ideas about how to promote youth exchange across the region, and about innovation in institutions and mechanisms to advance the Greater Bay Area's development, Guo said. The 2,000-plus members of the CPPCC National Committee will use these various activities to help garner support and build consensus in pushing forward the region's integrated development. The CPPCC National Committee has consistently provided support to the development of the Greater Bay Area. While the region's development plan was in the formulation process, members of the CPPCC National Committee presented many relevant proposals last year, and 158 proposals have been accepted, Guo added. This year also marks the 20th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland. Guo said the central government, the Macao SAR government and different organizations in the city are all preparing various celebratory activities to commemorate the joyous occasion. Macao has made remarkable strides in the past 20 years, with firm support from the central government. Under the one country, two systems principle, the SAR has adhered to people of Macao governing Macao with a high degree of autonomy, and has become a prosperous place that offers its residents stability and quality living standards, Guo said. He added that Macao will continue to play important roles as a global tourism and leisure center, and as an economic and trade cooperation platform between China and Lusophone (people culturally and linguistically linked to Portugal) countries. With its extensive international connections, Macao is also an important link in the Belt and Road Initiative. custom bar braceletcustom sports braceletscustom logo wristbandsde securite pour personne ageeembossed wristbandscolorfilled wristbandsembossed printed wristbandsdual layer wristbands
Newly 1,300 inmates from 300 prisons across the country will be allowed to go home to spend Spring Festival with their families, an official from the Bureau of Prison Administration under Ministry of Justice said.The ministry recently issued a notice to prisons across the country to allow prisoners to visit families during Spring Festival, the news website cyol.com reported.In Shanghai, 10 inmates from four prisons will be allowed to visit their families at home, an official from the city's prison administrative bureau said.These prisoners should fulfill lots of conditions, such as good behavior in prison, completion of over half of prison term and not endangering the society after leaving prison, the official said.They are required to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet during the leave, and if the bracelet is removed, police will know immediately, the official said. Prisoners have to report their daily activities to local police.Apart from Shanghai, Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces also approved certain prisoners for family visits during Spring Festival this year, with Sichuan OK'ing about 260 prisoners and Shaanxi more than 100.China's prison law and relative regulations allowed prisoners to leave prisons to meet families while meeting some conditions, but because of safety risks and some other reasons, some prisons stopped such practice in recent years.After investigations, Minister of Justice Zhang Jun said recently that prisons across the country could gradually push ahead the practice after making good preparations for preventing possible safety risks.Prisoners going home to meet families have been considered an effective means to improve their reform, and the ministry has recently issued a document on promoting the practice in the prison system reform.Vice-Minister Xiong Xuanguo told a news conference on Feb 8 that prisons should do the work well in allowing prisoners to visit relatives and leaving prisons while serving prison sentences according to law.
