SHANGHAI'S key stock index rose in the morning session amid high sentiment ahead of the opening of a major political conference in Beijing this afternoon.

The Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.6 percent to 2,930.40. Turnover rose to 97.3 billion yuan (US$14.8 billion) from yesterday morning's 100.7 billion yuan.

The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, China's top policies advisory body, opens today, while China's top legislature, the National People's Congress, begins its session on Saturday.

Details of the Five Year Plan will be discussed on the meetings. Analysts expected intense release of industrial policies and the market will be kept from significant corrections during the conferences.

The State Council proposed yesterday to raise personal income tax threshold and adjust tax rates and categories to ease the economic burden of people with low to middle income.

Automakers led the gainers. Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Co jumped 4.4 percent to 13.79 yuan. Beiqi Foton Motor Co rose 2.2 percent to 23.12 yuan.

Banks and property developers also rallied. Industrial and Commercial Bank of China rose 1.6 percent to 4.35 yuan. Agricultural Bank of China went up 1.9 percent to 2.67 yuan.

China Vanke added 1.2 percent to 8.30 yuan. Poly Real Estate Co climbed 1.9 percent to 12.90 yuan.