Long-Term Coexistence, Mutual Supervision, Sincere Treatment of Each Other and Sharing of Weal and Woe

The basic policy of the multi-Party cooperation and political consultation system under the leadership of the Communist Party of China is also the guiding principle for the solidarity and cooperation of the CPC, democratic parties and non-Party personages. The general outline of the “Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Constitution” stipulates: The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) promotes the solidarity and cooperation of all parties and non-Party personages participating in the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in accordance with the policy of “long-term coexistence, mutual supervision, sincere treatment with each other, and shared honor and disgrace” between the Communist Party of China and all democratic parties and non-Party personages. This policy fully embodies and gives full play to the characteristics and advantages of China's socialist political Party system. The sixteen-character policy of “long-term coexistence, mutual supervision, sincere treatment with each other, and shared honor and disgrace” is gradually formed by the CPC in the long-term practice of multi-Party cooperation. After China's socialist transformation of agriculture, handicrafts, and capitalist industry and commerce was basically completed in 1956, Mao Zedong proposed in “On the Ten Major Relationships”: “Is it better for having one Party or a few parties? Now it seems that it’s better for having a few parties”. This is not only the case in the past, but it can also be the case in the future for ‘long-term coexistence and mutual supervision’.”

In September of the same year, the 8th CPC National Congress incorporated the policy of “long-term coexistence and mutual supervision” into the resolution. In February 1957, Mao Zedong made a more systematic exposition of this in “On the Correct Handling of Contradictions among the People”, stating: “All parties that are truly committed to uniting the people in the cause of socialism and are trusted by the people, we have no reason not to adopt a long-term coexistence policy for them. This is because a Party is just like a person who shall hear different voices. It is mainly the working people and Party members that supervise the Communist Party. But with democratic parties, it is more beneficial to us.” It is under the guidance of this policy that a new type of Party relationship has been formed in which the Communist Party of China and the democratic parties cooperate sincerely and supervise each other, thus establishing the basic pattern of multi-Party cooperation under the leadership of the Communist Party. In the new historical period of Reform and Opening-up, with the fundamental changes in the domestic class situation and the shift of the Party’s central task to economic construction, the consistency of patriotism and socialism within the united front has been further strengthened, and solidarity and cooperation have a more solid foundation.

In 1982, the 12th CPC National Congress clearly put forward the policy of “long-term coexistence, mutual supervision, sincere treatment with each other, and shared honor and disgrace” between the Communist Party of China and the democratic parties. This policy is an important criterion for correctly handling the relationship between the Communist Party of China and the democratic parties. “Long-term coexistence” refers to that the democratic parties will survive as long as the Communist Party of China survives, and they will coexist until the future social development does not require political parties. “Mutual supervision” refers to that the Communist Party of China can supervise the democratic parties, and the democratic parties can also supervise the Communist Party of China. As the Communist Party of China is in a leading position, it is mainly the democratic parties supervising the Communist Party of China. “Sincere treatment with each other” refers to treating each other open-heartedly. “Shared honor and disgrace” refers to that the common cause links the fate of the Communist Party of China and the democratic parties. “Long-term coexistence and mutual supervision” embodies the idea of long-term cooperation between the Communist Party of China and the democratic parties; “sincere treatment with each other, and shared honor and disgrace” vividly expresses the relationship of mutual trust and sincere cooperation between the Communist Party of China and the democratic parties. “Long-term coexistence, mutual supervision, sincere treatment with each other, and shared honor and disgrace” affirms the strategic significance of the cooperation between the Communist Party of China and the democratic parties, clarifies the important way of cooperation, and embodies the new socialist Party relationship between the Communist Party of China and the democratic parties, which is of great significance to carrying forward the fine tradition of solidarity, cooperation, and negotiation and working together, developing socialist democratic politics and promoting socialist political progress.