On 9 December, Ambassador Yan Xiusheng published a signed article entitled "China’s Democracy: Whole-Process People’s Democracy" in the mainstream media of Barbados, The Barbados Advocate. Following is the full text of the article:
China’s Democracy: Whole-Process People’s Democracy
Democracy is a common value of humanity and an ideal that has always been cherished by the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese people.
This year marks the centenary of the CPC. Since its founding in 1921, the Party has taken wellbeing for the Chinese people and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation as its abiding goals, and has made continuous efforts to ensure the people's status as masters of the country. China is a country with a feudal history dating back several thousand years that descended into a semi-feudal and semi-colonial society after the Opium War of 1840. Over the past hundred years, the Party has led the people in realizing people's democracy in China. The Chinese people now truly hold in their hands their own future and that of society and the country.
The best way to evaluate whether a country's political system is democratic and efficient is to observe whether the succession of its leaders is orderly and in line with the law, whether all the people can manage state and social affairs and economic and cultural undertakings in conformity with legal provisions, whether the public can express their requirements without hindrance, whether all sectors can efficiently participate in the country's political affairs, whether national decision-making can be conducted in a rational and democratic way, whether people of high caliber in all fields can be part of the national leadership and administrative systems through fair competition, whether the governing party is in charge of state affairs in accordance with the Constitution and the law, and whether the exercise of power can be kept under effective restraint and supervision.
Democracy is not a decorative ornament, but an instrument for addressing the issues that concern the people. Whether a country is democratic depends on whether its people are truly the masters of the country; whether the people have the right to vote, and more importantly, the right to participate extensively; whether they have been given verbal promises in elections, and more importantly, how many of these promises are fulfilled after elections; whether there are set political procedures and rules in state systems and laws, and more importantly, whether these systems and laws are truly enforced; whether the rules and procedures for the exercise of power are democratic, and more importantly, whether the exercise of power is genuinely subject to public scrutiny and checks. If the people are awakened only to cast a vote but become dormant afterwards, that is no true democracy. If the people are offered great hopes during electoral campaigning but have no say afterwards, that is no true democracy. If the people are offered fulsome promises during electoral canvassing but are left empty-handed afterwards, that is no true democracy.
As a populous country long plagued by weak economic foundations, China strives to strike a balance between democracy and development. The priority always rests with development, which is facilitated by democracy and in turn boosts the development of democracy. China has never indulged in empty talk on democracy regardless of a country's development stage.
Always drawing wisdom and strength from its 5,000-year-old culture and fine traditions, and based on a correct understanding of its current development stage and its economic and social conditions, China has made active and prudent efforts to advance democracy. To avoid fatal errors, it never seeks unrealistic goals or over-extends itself in pursuit of quick success. Instead, it focuses on identifying and resolving each and every problem, and presses ahead with democracy step by step to make the system more mature and well-defined.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has remained committed to the path of socialist political advancement with Chinese characteristics, worked to ensure that the Party's leadership, the people's position as masters of the country and law-based governance form an indivisible whole, thus embarking on a democratic path of developing whole-process people's democracy. China's whole-process people's democracy is a complete institutional chain, including electoral democracy, consultative democracy, social democracy, primary-level democracy, citizen democracy, and all other elements of democratic politics. It covers democratic elections, democratic consultation, democratic decision-making, democratic management, democratic supervision, and all other fields of the democratic process. It is not only based on a complete institutional procedure but also full participation and practice. It is a democracy in terms of process and outcome. It achieves the integration of procedural and substantive democracy, and direct and indirect democracy. It is people's democracy and at the same time represents the will of the state. It effectively guarantees that all the Chinese people can engage in the management of state, economic, cultural, and social affairs through various ways and in various forms following the law. As a result, the Chinese people have strong confidence in their political system. And the fundamental reason is that China's whole-process people's democracy is highly democratic in terms of both quantity and quality, and is sincerely welcomed by the Chinese people. Two opinion polls by American institutions showed that Chinese citizens' satisfaction with the Party and the government of China reached 95% and 98% respectively. Any clear-eyed people will find it easy to conclude whether this is democracy.
There are no identical political systems in the world, neither is there a political model that fits all. Countries can borrow from the successful experience of others and develop forms of democracy suited to their own modernization process, but they should not simply duplicate other systems or models. The model that suits best is always the most appropriate. Only democracy rooted in a country's unique social environment has proven to be reliable and effective, and can thrive and progress. External interference and "democratic transformation" bring nothing but endless trouble. China never seeks to export the Chinese model of democracy, nor does it allow any external force to change the Chinese model under any circumstances. China firmly supports the independent choice by every country of its own path to democracy, and opposes any interference in others' internal affairs on the pretext of "bringing democracy".
The democratic mode across the globe cannot be the same. Even among different Western countries, the democratic systems and forms are not entirely identical. The practice of measuring the diverse political systems with a single yardstick and judging the colorful political civilization of humanity from a simplistic perspective is undemocratic. As for which country's democracy is good or bad, people living in that country have a natural feeling and say. This shouldn't be judged by a handful of people from other countries. Some countries see their democracy being hollowed out, and their people become more and more dissatisfied with it. Meanwhile, they wantonly impose their so-called democratic mode on other countries, which is not fit for local conditions, bringing severe disasters and sufferings to the people of related countries. This is becoming more and more clear to people all over the world.
The international community is now faced with pressing challenges of a global scale, from the COVID-19 pandemic, economic slowdown to the climate change crisis. No country can be immune from these risks and challenges. All countries should pull together. This is the best way forward to overcome these adversities.
Any attempt to push for a single or absolute model of democracy, use democracy as an instrument or weapon in international relations, or advocate bloc politics and bloc confrontation will be a breach of the spirit of solidarity and cooperation which is critical in troubled times.
The world needs solidarity, not division; and cooperation, rather than confrontation. China will continue to work with all peace-loving countries and peoples including Barbados to promote the shared human values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom. China will continue to champion cooperation over confrontation, to open up rather than closing our doors, and to focus on mutual benefits instead of zero-sum games. China will oppose hegemony and power politics, and strive to keep the wheels of history rolling toward bright horizons.
