Jiang Shusheng [File Photo: chinareviewnews.com]

Jiang Shusheng was re-elected as chairman of the China Democratic League (CDL) at the first plenary session of its 10th Central Committee on Monday.

The session elected the new leadership of the CDL consisting of one chairman, 13 vice chairpersons and 53 members of the Standing Committee of the CDL's Central Committee.

Jiang, of Han nationality, is a native of Wuxi, Jiangsu Province. He was born in April 1940 and graduated from the physics department of Nanjing University in July 1963.

He was professor, vice department head, vice president and president of Nanjing University from August 1963 to June 2006. During the period, he also studied and worked in the United Kingdom, Australia and Italy for more than five years.

He is a member of the Standing Committee of the 9th and 10th National People's Congress and a member of the State Academic Degrees Committee.

He joined the CDL in April 2003 and was a member of central committee of CDL, member of the Standing Committee of the CDL Central Committee, vice chairman and chairman of the CDL.

After his re-election, Jiang, on behalf of the new leadership of the CDL, said he appreciated the great trust given by the CDL members. He will carry forward CDL's tradition to closely cooperate with the ruling Communist Party.

"We will stand at the new historical point of the multi-party cooperation system to thoroughly implement the scientific outlook of development, promote sound and rapid economic development, lead the whole CDL members to build a socialist harmonious society, push forward the building of socialist democratic politics, perform the function of a participating party and make due contribution to develop socialism with Chinese Characteristics," Jiang said.

The CDL, one of China's eight democratic parties, concluded its 10th national congress on Sunday. The congress elected its new 265-member central committee.

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 decided to rename itself the China Democratic League.

With a membership of more than 181,000, the CDL is mainly made up of senior and leading intellectuals in the fields of culture, education, and science and technology.

According to the chairman, the CDL has focused its concerns over the issue of education, contributing a lot to the promulgation and implementation of a series of relevant policies and laws.

Most of its members are intellectuals, mainly from the fields of culture, education, and science and technology.

Among over 180,000 CDL members, 60 percent are from the educational circle, 11 percent are scientists and technicians, eight percent work in the medical sector, and six percent come from cultural and art circles.

The CDL will spare no efforts to support programs that are in conformity with the Concept of Scientific Development, Jiang said. He also pledged to help promote the process of socialist political democracy and the building of a harmonious socialist society.