Q: At present, many people in the West think China
practices a one-party system. Is this true? Why doesn't China adopt
the same multi-party system as the Western countries, under which
various political parties hold the state power by
turn?
A: That idea, as it were, is a misunderstanding. Governance in
China is not a one-party system, but a multi-party cooperation and
political consultation system under the leadership of the CPC. On
the Chinese mainland, apart from the CPC, there are eight other
political parties popularly known as "democratic parties," namely
the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, China
Democratic League, China Democratic National Construction
Association, China Association for Promoting Democracy, China
Peasants and Workers' Democratic Party, China Zhi Gong Dang, Jiu
San Society and Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League. The
present membership of these parties totals at least 600,000.
As an ancient country with a civilization dating back more than
5,000 years, China puts great stock in its long-standing
traditions. Meanwhile, far from being a conservative and closed
nation, the Chinese are eager to learn from other countries and
draw on their advanced culture and civilizations. For example,
Marxism-Leninism, the guiding principle of the CPC, was introduced
from other countries, and so was China's political party system.
The first half of last century witnessed the collapse of both the
multi-party system modeled on the West and the ensuing dictatorship
imposed by a party in China. Foreigners often feel poorly
accustomed to the Chinese lifestyle, and in the same vein, foreign
political party systems can also prove unsuitable to China. We
should therefore guard against replicating foreign one-party or
multi-party models, while drawing on the advantages of foreign
political party systems. Given this, and based on a review of
lessons from history, the CPC and other political parties in China
have decided on a typically Chinese multi-party cooperation and
political consultation system led by the CPC in accordance with
China's own realities, instead of resorting to other systems.
All the other political parties in China support the CPC
politically, a historical choice made during their long-term
cooperation and collaborative struggle with the CPC. Sharing the
same goal, the CPC and the other parties are all committed to the
cause of building socialism with Chinese characteristics. Their
cooperative relations are based on the principle of "long-term
coexistence and mutual supervision, treating each other with full
sincerity, and sharing weal or woe." In China's political system,
the CPC is the party in power, whereas the eight non-communist
parties participate in the discussion and management of state
affairs. They take part in running the state, consultation on major
political issues and choice of state leaders, management of state
affairs, and deliberation and implementation of major policies,
laws and regulations of the country. The CPC and the other parties
all abide by the Constitution. The non-communist parties enjoy
political freedom, organizational independence and legal equality
in line with the rights and obligations prescribed by the
Constitution.
We believe that our political system demonstrates notable
superiority and vitality as it can avoid the pitfalls of one-party
dictatorship, most notably the lack of supervision, and the
possible social turbulences in the wake of various rival parties
jockeying for power. China's rapid development in recent years,
especially since the advent of reform and opening up in the late
1970s, would have been impossible without the institutional backup
provided by the political system.
China exercises a system of multi-party
cooperation and political consultation. Besides the Communist Party
of China, there are eight democratic parties. Pictured are members
of the China Democratic League holding a symposium in
Beijing.
