Patriotic United Front in the New Period

It is led by the working class and based on the alliance of workers and peasants, it includes all socialist workers, the builders of the socialism, patriots who support socialism and the reunification of China and also includes patriots who are committed to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Under the leadership of the Party, the broadest united front is formed by uniting all forces that can be united, mobilize all positive factors that can be mobilized, and turn negative factors into positive ones, which is a huge political advantage for the Party. The united front, armed struggle, and Party building together constitute the “three magic weapons” of China’s new democratic revolution. After the founding of New China, the united front played a major role in restoring the national economy, consolidating the people’s democratic dictatorship, and carrying out socialist transformation and construction.

Since the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee, the united front, just like Reform and Opening-up and socialist modernization, has also entered a new stage of development. History and reality have repeatedly shown that the united front, as an important magic weapon of the Party, must not be discarded; as a political advantage of the Party, must not be weakened; as a long-term policy of the Party, must not be questioned.

In the new era, the united front includes two alliances: one is the alliance of all workers, builders of socialism and patriots supporting socialism in mainland of China, which is the main body and foundation of the united front. The other is the alliance of compatriots supporting the reunification of the motherland from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, and overseas countries outside the mainland of China, which is an important part of the united front. These two alliances, interlinked and complementary to each other, form an organic whole, reflecting the universality of the united front in the new era.

The essence of the patriotic united front in the new era is to achieve the goal of the broadest unity of and the harmonious relations among all ethnic groups, parties, social classes and compatriots at home and abroad. Its basic task is to hold high the banner of patriotism and socialism, unite all forces that can be united, mobilize all positive factors, and turn negative factors into positive ones, so as to promote socialist economic, political, cultural and social construction, the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao, the peaceful reunification of the motherland, and the maintenance of world peace and common development.

The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference is the organizational form of the patriotic united front in the new period, an important institution of multi-Party cooperation and political consultation system under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, an important form of promoting socialist democracy in China's political life, an important part of the national governance system, and an institutional arrangement with Chinese characteristics.

The multi-Party cooperation and political consultation system led by the Party is a basic political system of our country. We should uphold and improve the system under the leadership of the Party, making it a socialist political Party system with Chinese characteristics.To better make use of this system, we should lay emphasis on the positive role of democratic parties and non-Party personages.It is a basic and strategic work of the united front to unite non-Party intellectuals. To this end, we must not only enhance the sense of responsibility and work harder, but also improve working methods and learn the skills to deal with non-Party intellectuals, especially the ways to do ideological and political work.

In order to promote the healthy development of the non-public economy and the healthy growth of private sector entrepreneurs, we must adhere to the principles of unity, service, guidance and education, through encouragement and support, as well as education and guidance. Since the Federation of Industry and Commerce is the bridge that links non-public economy individuals, the Party and the government together, it should be effectively covered by the united front work, so that the guidance and service of the federation can be brought into full play and the chamber of commerce can head in the right direction. Work related to ethnic and religious affairs is of overall importance.

Handling ethnic affairs well in the new era means to promote harmony, mutual assistance and development of all nationalities. Religious affairs are in essence people’s affairs. We should fully implement the Party’s policy on the freedom of religious belief, manage religious affairs in accordance with the law, adhere to the principle of independent and self-management, provide active guidance to religions so that they can adapt themselves to socialist society, and lead them to contribute to the economic development, social harmony, cultural prosperity, national unity, and reunification of the Chinese nation. In the new era, with the in-depth implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” policy, the peaceful development of cross-strait relations, and the significant improvement of China’s international status, the interaction between members of the united front alliance in and outside mainland of China has become more frequent and their relations has become closer. We must adapt to the new situation, and do a good job in handling the Hong Kong and Macao, Taiwan and overseas Chinese affairs.