The closing meeting of the third session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 27, 2020.Photo:Xinhua
A white paper titled “China’s Political Party System: Cooperation and Consultation” was issued by the State Council Information Office on Friday. It elaborated on multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
As we welcome the centenary of the CPC, it is of enormous historical significance for China to present to the world its basic political system. People across the world can see more clearly that the CPC and other political parties follow the principles of long-term coexistence, mutual oversight, sincerity, and sharing the rough times and the smooth. They have created a multiparty cooperation system in which the CPC exercises state power and the other parties participate fully in the administration of state affairs under the leadership of the CPC. This party system can be called a great political creation.
China’s political system was born from the historical process of China’s democratic revolutions in modern times. It developed during the great process of the socialist revolution, development and reforms. It was improved during the new socialist era with Chinese characteristics. The system has withstood various tests and has developed unique advantages and powerful vitality. If we observe this historical process, we can conclude that the political party system has played an indispensable role in the remarkable development of China, because it promotes the country’s governance system and the modernization of governance capability.
China’s political party system has notable Chinese characteristics and is highly approved of by the Chinese people. They will not forget that after the 1911 Revolution, China copied the Western parliamentary political system, which resulted in severe social chaos. History proves that only the political party system that combines Marxist political party theories and Chinese characteristics reality fits the country’s development.
Some in the US and the West cannot live without their absurd sense of ideological superiority and are unwilling to admit the reasonableness and advancement of China’s political party system. With their prejudice and arrogance, they have long smeared and blackmailed China’s political party system, and have misled many people. We believe those with a conscience are the majority and they will eventually dilute the misunderstandings. The newly released white paper will help people have a correct understanding of China’s political party system.
The white paper points out that the CPC is in a leading and ruling position, while non-CPC political parties participate in state governance under socialism with Chinese characteristics. They are not in opposition, nor are they bystanders or outsiders. Instead, they participate in state governance under the leadership of the CPC. The white paper also emphasizes that upholding the leadership of the CPC is a distinctive feature and an important part of China’s political party system. It is also the primary prerequisite for the sound development of multiparty cooperation and acts as a fundamental guarantee. This political party system closely unites all political parties and non-affiliates toward a common goal, effectively mitigating the risks of inadequate oversight in one-party rule, and the problems of power rotation and destructive competition among multiple political parties.
The CPC and other political parties have always maintained a new type of relationship, featuring cooperation, unity and harmony. Consultations are held to address issues. People’s affairs are discussed by the people to reach a consensus based on society’s will and demands. Westerners who are obsessed with the dualistic thinking of black or white are either unable to understand such democracy of the people, or feel jealous. In their eyes, only the rigid implementation of two-party or multi-party systems can be called democracy, and other systems are authoritarian. This is such a narrow-minded view. We advise those people to think over the following sentences in the white paper: “The system that is best-suited to a country is determined by its history, traditions and realities … There are many types of political party system around the world, and there is not a single system that is good for all countries.”
Political parties are important for promoting the progress of human civilization. The logic of China’s political party system has led to the vigorous development of China’s politics. Only those who have common goals can work together. The CPC and other political parties as well as individuals without affiliation share certain common goals: the realization of national independence, the people’s liberation and wellbeing, and the prosperity of the country. Inspired by those common goals, China’s political party system has brought together with unprecedented success a powerful social synergy, and it will continue to create new “China miracles.”
