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China issues 1st white paper on democracy
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-10-19 10:48
The Information Office of China's State Council issued Wednesday a white paper on China's
political democracy (full text) , vowing to actively push forward the
reforms of its political system although, it said, tremendous achievements had
been scored in this regard.
The white paper, issued by the Information Office of China's State Council,
or the cabinet, is the first of its kind in China, giving a detailed account of
the inception, development and contents of the socialist political democracy and
the principles the country will abide by.
The document, titled Building of Political Democracy in China, also points
out the problems the country has to overcome and major steps to be taken in the
reforms of its political system.
The socialist political democracy "is the apt choice suited to China's
conditions and meeting the requirement of social progress," said the white
paper.
Such democracy has enabled the Chinese people, who account for one fifth of
the world's population, "to become masters of their own country and society, and
enjoy extensive democratic rights, " the white paper says.
In building socialist political democracy, China has always adhered to the
basic principle that the Marxist theory of democracy be combined with the
reality of China, it says.
In the process, China has also borrowed from the useful achievements of the
political civilization of mankind, including Western democracy, and assimilated
the democratic elements of fromChina's traditional culture and institutional
civilization.
"Therefore, China's socialist political democracy shows distinctive Chinese
characteristics," says the white paper.
Such characteristics are as follows:
-- China's democracy is a people's democracy under the leadership of the
Communist Party of China (CPC).
-- 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 says 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," the document notes.
Over the past 20 years and more, great progress has been made in China's
practice in building a socialist democratic political system, the white paper
says, providing a list of the achievements.
It points to the fact that the system of the people's congresses, 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 mannerhas been
enhanced further, while the government's capability to administer the country in
a democratic manner has been strengthened noticeably.
"Major aspects of China's politics, economics, culture and social life are
now within the purview of the rule of law," says the white paper.
"Despite the tremendous achievements scored in building a socialist political
democracy, the CPC and the Chinese people are clearly aware of the many problems
yet to be overcome," the document notes.
The major ones include: the democratic system is not yet perfect; the
people's right to manage state and social affairs, economic and cultural
undertakings as masters of the country in a socialist market economy are not yet
fully realized; laws that have already been enacted are sometimes not fully
observed or enforced, and violations of the law sometimes go unpunished.
The white paper also admits that "bureaucracy and corruption still exist and
spread in some departments and localities."
It also points out that the mechanism of restraint and supervision over the
use of power needs further improvement and the concept of democracy and legal
awareness of the whole of Chinese society needs to be further enhanced.
"There is still a long way to go in China's building of political democracy,
which will be a historical process of continuous improvement and development,"
says the white paper.
According to the document, at present, and for a period in the days to come,
the CPC and the Chinese government "will actively and steadily push forward the
reform of the political system."
They will also stick to and improve the socialist democratic system,
strengthen and improve the socialist legal system, reform and improve the
methods of leadership and rule of the CPC, reform and improve the government's
decision-making mechanism.
The white paper also stresses the importance of the reform of the system of
administrative management, the reform of the judicial system, the reform of the
cadre and personnel system, andthe restraint and supervision over the power.
According to the white paper, China's building of political democracy will
abide by the following principles:
-- Upholding the unity of the leadership of the CPC, the people being the
masters of the country and ruling the country by law.
-- Giving play to the characteristics and advantages of the socialist system.
-- Being conducive to social stability, economic development and continuous
improvement of the people's life.
-- Facilitating the safeguarding of national sovereignty, territorial
integrity and state dignity.
-- Being in accord with the objective law of progress step by step and in an
orderly way.
The white paper consists of 12 parts, including the people's congress system,
the system of ethnic regional autonomy, grassroots democracy in urban and rural
areas, and respecting and safeguarding human rights.
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