White paper: multi-party cooperation system is basic political system for China

Source: Xinhua | 11-15-2007 11:54

BEIJING, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- The multi-party cooperation system is one of China's fundamental political system, says a white paper published by the Information Office of the State Council of China on Thursday.

China adopts multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), namely the multi-party cooperation system, says the white paper titled China's Political Party System.

The system is different from both the two-party or multi-party competition system of Western countries and the one-party system practiced in some other countries, it says.

This system was established and has been developed during the long-term practice of the Chinese revolution, construction and reform and it is a basic political system that suits the conditions of China, it says.

The white paper states that the CPC holds the leading and ruling position. "During its more than 80 years of struggle, the CPC led the Chinese people through the new democratic revolution to realize national independence and the people's liberation, and established state power with the people as the masters of the state and safeguarded national unification and solidarity of all ethnic groups."

It says the eight democratic parties participate in and deliberate on state affairs. "The inherent requirements of the people's democratic dictatorship and the actual role played by the eight democratic parties in China's political life determine their role as participating parties," says the white paper.

According to the white paper, the democratic parties' participation in state affairs mainly takes the following forms: participating in the exercise of state power, consultation on fundamental state policies and the choice of state leaders, the administration of state affairs, and the formulation and implementation of state policies, laws and regulations.

According to the white paper, a new relationship of unity and cooperation has been established between the CPC and the eight democratic parties.

"The CPC has made friends with the eight democratic parties in their long years of common struggle. Its fundamental theory, line, program and experience have been agreed by the democratic parties, and the building of socialism with Chinese characteristics has become the common goal of all parties in China," says the white paper.

The CPC and the other eight democratic parties supervise each other, it stresses.

"Such supervision is political supervision exercised through exchanging views and airing criticisms and suggestions," it says.

Since the CPC is the leading and ruling party, it needs particularly supervision from the democratic parties more than the other way round, says the white paper.

The white paper says that the multi-party cooperation system has created a 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, it says.

The CPC rules the country and democratic parties participate instate affairs according to law, instead of ruling the country in turn, the white paper says.

Editor:Zhang Ning