BEIJING - Chinese President Hu Jintao said Thursday the country's private businesses are now standing on a new starting line and urged them to seize opportunities for development.

Hu made the remarks when joining a panel discussion of political advisors who gathered in Beijing for their annual full session that started Wednesday.

Non-public enterprises should have a clear understanding of the current situation, seize the opportunities and score greater achievements in strengthening their own competence and helping accelerate the transition of the country's economic growth pattern and improve people's livelihoods, Hu told the members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

The political advisors at the panel discussion were from the non-communist China National Democratic Construction Association and the All China Federation of Industry and Commerce, an organization of private entrepreneurs.

Speaking to political advisors from the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League and the All China Confederation of Taiwan Compatriots, top legislator Wu Bangguo called on members of non-communist parties and people with no party affiliations to follow the lead of the Communist Party of China (CPC), cooperate with each other and rely on the people in the building of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), urged the organizations to take it a primary task to push forward China's campaign of scientific development, and make new contributions to the country's development and the transition of its economic growth pattern.

They should also make full use of their advantages to facilitate the nation's cause of peaceful unification, Wu said.

Premier Wen Jiabao stressed the importance of solicitation of public opinions in the process of decision making in a discussion with advisors from the economic and agricultural circles.

Authorities should invite experts to study the feasibility of major decisions linked to the country's social and economic development, and should listen to public opinions when making decisions of public concerns, Wen said.

He said the political advisors offered many realistic and insightful suggestions to help the country deal with challenges brought by the global financial crisis last year.

Wen encouraged them to track and keep their fingers on the pulse of internal and external economic conditions, which would become more complex this year, and to continue making suggestions to the government.

Jia Qinglin, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, joined the discussion of political advisors from ethnic minority groups.

The country will stick to the CPC's ethnic policies and the system of regional autonomy of ethnic minorities, and explore a solution to ethnic issues with Chinese characteristics, he said.

The country will also push forward development of the regions inhabited by ethnic minorities, he said.

In addition, the country will take effective measures to prevent and crack down on ethnic separatist activities to safeguard stability, he said.

When talking with advisors from the art and entertainment circles, Li Changchun, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, encouraged them to create more quality works to serve the public.

He hoped artists could produce more works that meet the needs of common people and the market.

Li also underlined the mobilization of artists' enthusiasm, initiatives and creativity.

Addressing CPPCC members from Hong Kong and Macao, Vice President Xi Jinping urged them to make further contributions to the implementation of the principle of "one country, two systems," and the basic laws of the two special administrative regions.

Political advisors from Hong Kong and Macao should offer more advice on the two regions' economic development, help maintain social stability, facilitate exchange and cooperation between the two regions and the inland, and play a more active role in political consultation.

In his discussion with advisors from medical and social welfare circles, Vice Premier Li Keqiang said the country would make stepped-up efforts to improve people's living standard and their quality of life.

He also urged to push forward the reform of government-funded hospitals to offer affordable and accessible medical services to all.