Ninety-nine Chinese, mostly private enterprise owners, have been awarded the title of Outstanding Constructor of the Socialist Cause with Chinese Characteristics this year.

The awards were the second of their kind by the United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and four government departments since 2004 in an effort to cement national solidarity and encourage the non-state-owned economy.

Zhang Longzhi, vice president of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce which heads the campaign, said senior Chinese managers of joint ventures and investors in intermediary institutions had been allowed for the first time to participate in the biennial selection.

Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, met award winners here on Wednesday, urging them to make more contributions to the country's economic development.

Source: Xinhua