Top Communist Party of China (CPC) officials have shown up at
recent national congresses of other political parties and delivered
congratulatory messages, which observers say demonstrates "a
greater will of the CPC towards multi-party cooperation".
The eight non-Communist parties would complete their national
congresses and a new round of elections one after another before
the end of this month.
The Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League (TSL) Central
Committee began its national congress on Nov. 28, the first among
the eight parties.
While five years ago CPC representatives attending congresses of
these parties were members of the CPC Central Committee Political
Bureau, this year standing committee members of the Political
Bureau, the top echelon of Chinese politics, attended these
congresses.
Xu Jialu, chairman of the China Association for Promoting
Democracy, said the CPC "breaks convention" by letting the most
powerful Party officials represent the CPC at major congresses of
non-Communist parties.
It was "a manifestation of sincerity and determination" of the
CPC to "promote and deepen" the system of multi-party cooperation
and political consultation under the Communist leadership, said
Xu.
The eight non-Communist parties are: the Revolutionary Committee
of the Chinese Kuomintang, China Democratic League, China
Democratic National Construction Association, China Association for
Promoting Democracy, Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party,
China Zhi Gong Dang, Jiu San Society and Taiwan Democratic
Self-Government League.
The eight parties have more than 700,000 members. The CPC
regards them as "friend parties" that conduct "close cooperation"
with the CPC.
After the CPC holds its national congress, other eight parties
will convene their own national conventions respectively. This
year, they would "learn the spirit of the 17th CPC National
Congress, deliberate the party work report, discuss and pass
amendment to party constitutions, and elect new central
committees".
The international community has paid increasingly great
attention to the development of China's democratic path.
In 2005 and 2006, the CPC Central Committee issued two special
documents on strengthening multi-party cooperation and political
consultation under the leadership of the CPC and work of the
Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the
country's top advisory body.
The State Council, or cabinet, has issued white papers on
China's "political party system" and "democratic political
construction", displaying a democratic political system with
"distinctive Chinese characteristics".
"Democracy" was mentioned more than 60 times in the report to
the 17th National Congress of the CPC in October. The report
contains a section "Unswervingly Developing Socialist
Democracy".
Zhuang Congsheng, director of the Research Office under the
United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, said the
CPC's leadership over the fellow parties is about leadership of
political principles, orientations and important policies and
guidelines.
Zhou Shuzhen, professor with the Beijing-based Renmin University
of China, said the reform and opening-up has brought changes to
both the CPC and non-communist parties.
"Non-communist parties should adjust themselves to China's
fast-changing society," said Zhou, who has devoted many years to
the study of the political system.
An increasing number of non-communist party members are holding
posts in government, legislature or judicial organs. The most
outstanding representatives are Wan Gang, Minister of Science and
Technology, and Chen Zhu, Minister of Health.
Statistics show at the end of last year, 31,000 non-Communist
party members and people without party affiliations took government
official posts at and above the county level.
(Xinhua News Agency December 4, 2007)