Since the 16th national congress, the CPC clarified that it would firmly encourage, support and cultivate non-public economic sectors. Under such circumstances, some areas which were previously forbidden for the private sector are accessible. State- owned enterprises no longer enjoy exclusively preferential policies.

In 2005, the State Council promulgated the first ever governmental documents to support and facilitate the growth of non- public economy and pledge to grant non-public enterprises equal treatment with all other enterprises.

"In the past five years," Liu said, "we did lots of things that we would have not even thought about before."

In 1994, Liu and his partners bought out a village-owned factory for four million yuan and renamed it to Gold Tide.

Liu innovatively combined know-how of the traditional local embroidery with modern streamlines. The garments Liu's company is now manufacturing are welcomed in North American and Japanese markets. Liu now seeks new profits in designing and making wedding gowns and full dresses, while diversifying his investment portfolio by spending 180 million yuan in AV disc production lines and bidding for land for real estate development.

Touring Poland, Hungary and Russia, Liu said he was impressed that the allies of the former East bloc are not going well with economic growth. "Our nation would be stronger and more powerful if we stick to our reform and open-up cause."

Liu and his class are now thriving forces. By the end of 2006, China had had 4.94 million private businesses, with the total investment of over 7.5 trillion yuan. Among the 70 million CPC members nationwide, nearly three million come from the private sector, which is better represented at the ongoing 17th Party national congress.

Wisdom and expertise from the private sector were also recruited by national and local political consultative bodies. Yin Mingshan, board chairman of the Chongqing-based Lifan Group, a privately-owned motorcycle producer, emerged as the first private entrepreneur assuming a provincial post after being elected as deputy chairman of Chongqing Municipal Committee of the CPPCC in 2003. The same year, Xu Guanju, board chairman of detergent manufacturer Chuanhua Group, was elevated as deputy chairman of the CPPCC Zhejiang Provincial Committee.