The CPPCC's 10th term comes to a close today, wrapping up five decades of advice to the nation's leaders and bureaucrats. In that time, the public has widely seen it as a political flower vase, contributing little to the nation's development.
But that was not always the case. In earlier days, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference was a forum for robust debate and was once regarded as part of a real, functioning parliament.
The CPPCC was established on September 21, 1949, five years ahead of the National People's Congress and even predates the establishment of the People's Republic of China by several days.
As the chairman of its first term, Mao Zedong initially used the body to unify people from different factions and backgrounds. He invited participation from many well-known dignitaries from a cross-section of mainland and overseas society, including Soong Ching-ling, the wife of Sun Yat-sen, Peking Opera star Mei Lanfang and Zhang Bojun , China's No1 rightist.
According to its regulations, all CPPCC members have to be appointed and recommended by the government and the body's main functions are 'to conduct political consultations, exercise democratic supervision and participate in the discussion and the handling of state affairs'.
But since the 'old parliament' was downgraded in 1954 by the NPC's establishment, the CPPCC has become a talking shop or social club for retired senior cadres, grumbling intellectuals dissatisfied with the government, and entrepreneurs keen to build connections with important people.
The CPPCC's decline began in earnest with the anti-rightist movement in 1957, which resulted in many rightists and outspoken members being purged. After that, CPPCC delegates had to survive the Communist Party's heavy-handed and complicated approval process.