BEIJING, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Yu Zhengsheng was elected chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the top political advisory body, here on Monday afternoon.

Yu was elected at the fourth plenary meeting of the first session of the 12th CPPCC National Committee.

Twenty three vice chairpersons of the 12th CPPCC National Committee were also elected at the meeting.

Among the vice chairpersons was Zhou Xiaochuan, governor of the People's Bank of China.

The CPPCC is a patriotic united front organization of the Chinese people, serving as a key mechanism for multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), and a major symbol of socialist democracy.

The CPPCC consists of representatives of the CPC and non-Communist parties, personages without party affiliation, and representatives of people's organizations, ethnic minorities and various social strata.

It also has the representation of compatriots of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, returned overseas Chinese, and specially invited people.