White Paper on the Construction Democratic Politics in China

Issued by the Information Office of the State Council on October 19, 2005. The “White Paper” comprehensively introduces the origin of socialist democratic politics with Chinese characteristics, the basic political system and main features of China's efforts to realize and ensure that the people are the masters of the country, and comprehensively reflects the history, main achievements and development situation of China's construction of democratic politics.

The “White Paper” consists of 12 parts: Preface; A Choice Suited to China's Conditions; CPC-Led the People to Become Masters of the Country; People's Congress System; the System of Multi-Party Cooperation and Political Consultation Under the Leadership of the CPC; System of Regional Autonomy for Ethnic Minorities; Grassroots Democracy in Urban and Rural Areas; Respecting and Safeguarding Human Rights; Democratic Rule by the CPC; Government Democracy; Judicial Democracy; Conclusion.

The “White Paper” points out that the construction of socialist political democracy in China has always been guided by the basic principle of combining the Marxist theory of democracy with Chinese reality, borrowed from the useful achievements of the political civilization of mankind, including Western democracy, and assimilated the democratic elements of China's traditional culture and institutional civilization; therefore, China's socialist democratic politics has distinctive Chinese characteristics: China's democracy is a people's democracy led by the Communist Party of China; China's democracy is a democracy in which the overwhelming majority of the people act as masters of state affairs; China's democracy is a democracy guaranteed by the people's democratic dictatorship; China's democracy is a democracy with democratic centralism as the basic organizational principle and mode of operation.

The “White Paper” emphasizes that the CPC's leading status was established gradually in the protracted struggle and practice of the Chinese people in pursuing national independence, prosperity and a happy life. It was a choice made by history and by the people. Today, the CPC's leadership and rule in China is an objective requirement of the country's development and progress. The CPC's leadership and rule are needed for promoting socialist modernization and realizing great national rejuvenation, safeguarding China's unification and keeping Chinese society harmonious and stable, making the state power stable, and uniting hundreds of millions of people to work in concerted efforts in building a beautiful future.

The “White Paper” points out that China's construction of socialist democratic politics has made great progress in practice. The people's congress system, the system of multi-Party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC, and the system of regional autonomy for ethnic minorities – all important components of China's democratic system – have been continuously improved and developed. The democratic rights of people at the grassroots level in urban and rural areas have been constantly increased, and the citizens' basic rights are respected and guaranteed. The CPC's capability to rule the country in a democratic manner has been enhanced further, while the government's capability to administer the country in a democratic manner has been strengthened noticeably. Continual progress has been made in building a democratic system within the legal framework.

The "White Paper" points out that China's construction of democratic politics follows the following principles: adhering to the organic unity of the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the people's ownership and governing the country according to law; giving full play to the characteristics and advantages of the socialist system; promoting social stability, economic development and the continuous improvement of people's living standards; safeguarding national sovereignty, territorial integrity and dignity; being in line with the objective law of gradual and orderly development.

The “White Paper” points out that the CPC and the Chinese Government will actively and steadily promote the reform of the political system, uphold and improve the socialist democratic system, strengthen and improve the socialist legal system, reform and improve the leadership and governance of the Communist Party of China, and reform and improve the decision-making of the government in the current and future period. Policy mechanism, administrative system reform, judicial system reform, cadre and personnel system reform, strengthening the restriction and supervision of power, striving to maintain social stability and promote economic development and social progress in all respects.