China issues white paper on its political party system

BEIJING -- China's State Council Information Office on Friday issued a white paper titled "China's Political Party System: Cooperation and Consultation," elaborating on the distinctive characteristics and strengths of the country's political party system.

The system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is a basic element of China's political framework, the white paper said.

In this system, in addition to the CPC, there are 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, the China Zhi Gong Party, the Jiusan Society, and the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League. The system also includes prominent individuals without affiliation to any of the political parties.

Following the principles of long-term coexistence, mutual oversight, sincerity, and sharing the rough times and the smooth, the CPC and the other political parties have created a multiparty cooperation system in which the CPC exercises state power and the other parties participate fully in the administration of state affairs under the leadership of the CPC, said the white paper.

Calling the system a new model grown out of the soil of China, the white paper said it also learns from other countries and absorbs the fruits of their political achievements.

The CPC has worked together with the non-CPC political parties over the years, advancing side by side, withstanding all kinds of tests, and forming a new type of relationship featuring cooperation, unity and harmony, the white paper said.

Also, the white paper said the CPC upholds equality, democratic consultation, and sincere cooperation to support other participants in jointly building state power at all levels of people's congresses, governments and judicial organs.

The document said China's political party system is a structure of enormous strength, creativity and vitality. It embodies the essence of Chinese traditions, reflects the intrinsic requirements of socialism, and conforms to China's realities and its needs in state governance.

As a basic component of China's political system, it contributes to China's development, national rejuvenation, and social progress, and is of great benefit to the people's wellbeing, it said.

Over the past seven decades and more, China's political party system has grown and matured, providing Chinese ideas to the world in terms of modern party politics, and offering a new model for global political progress, it said.