BEIJING, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) - The Information Office of the State Council of China on Thursday issued the country's first ever white paper on its political party system, systematically summarizing the political party system with Chinese characteristics.
The 15,000-word white paper comprises ten chapters: the preface; An inevitable choice in China's social development; A basic political system for China; Major manifestations of socialist democracy; Political consultation in the multi-party cooperation system; Multi-party cooperation system and building of state power; Multi-party cooperation system and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; Multi-party cooperation system and modernization; conclusion and appendix.
Zhuang Congsheng, director of the Research Office under the United Front Work Department (UFWD) of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, said rich experience had been accumulated for China's multi-party cooperation system over past decades and during the process, an increasing number of countries paid great attention to the democratic and political building of China.
"However, the fact that not too many people know well China's political party system has caused some misunderstanding. The white paper will help the international community learn the historical background, features, advantages, values and functions of China's multi-party cooperation system," said Zhuang.
The white paper would also help Chinese, especially young Chinese understand the political party system, so as to better adhere to the system, said Professor Zhen Xiaoying, of the Central Institute of Socialism.
"The political party system China has adopted is multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC)," the white paper says.
The white paper says that under the system are the CPC and eight other political parties: the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, the China Democratic League, the China National Democratic Construction Association, the China Association for Promoting Democracy, the Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party, China Zhi Gong Dang, the Jiu San Society and the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League.
The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is an important institution of multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC, says the white paper.
The white paper says China's multi-party cooperation system has a glorious history of 58 years. As the basic political system of China, it has been proved through practice to be inevitable, innovative and superior.
The formation and development of China's multi-party cooperation system was a logical choice of its modern and contemporary history, a product of the combination of Marxism-Leninism and China's own situation, and a crystallization of the wisdom of the CPC and other democratic parties, the paper says.
The system is well suited to China's conditions, the reality of China's revolution, construction and reform, and the essential demands of socialist democracy.
It reflects the fine cultural tradition of the Chinese nation, which features all-embracing and harmony while reserving differences.
The multi-party cooperation system identifies the status and functions of the CPC and the eight other political parties in the political life of the state, and the relations between the parties, the white paper says.
New Form of Political Party System In the World
The white paper says the multi-party cooperation system has created new form of political party system in the world, a unique system by itself.
Under this system, the CPC and the democratic parties work closely together and supervise each other, instead of opposing each other, with the CPC ruling the country and the democratic parties participating in state affairs according to law, instead of ruling the country in turn.
Zhuang Congsheng said it is the first Chinese white paper to summarize the value and functions of multi-party system as political participation, expression of interests, social integration, democratic supervision and maintenance of stability.
Zhuang said the multi-party cooperation system is different from both the two-party or multi-party competition systems of Western countries and the one-party system practiced in other countries. China has established its own unique political party system and its own way to fulfill democracy, which is unique in the world.
In China, ruling parties and democratic parties share the same ideal and same objectives, said Zhuang.
After many years of practice, the white paper says, two basic modes of political consultation in the multi-party cooperation system have formed: the CPC's consultation with democratic parties, and the CPC's consultation with democratic parties and representatives from all circles in the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).
In exercising state power, the CPC unites and cooperates with all the democratic parties and encourages them to fulfill their functions by participating in and discussing government and political affairs and in democratic supervision, so as to improve the building of state power, the white paper says.
Members of democratic parties are important constituent parts of the CPPCC, it says.
In the composition of the CPPCC, they form a relatively large percentage of members, standing committee members and leaders. They also make up a considerable proportion of the CPPCC's special committee members and leaders, including in the CPPCC work organs.
All democratic parties persevere in promoting development as the first priority, the white paper says.
Focusing on the country's central work, they have earnestly participated in and deliberated on state affairs and exercised democratic supervision, actively promoting the development of socialist economy, politics, culture, and society.
Zhuang said, consultation with democratic parties and people without party affiliations makes the CPC's decision-making more democratic and scientific.
