A democratic system that suits China

Democracy, as a sign of human civilization and progress, is the common pursuit of humankind. People's will and national conditions play a large role in determining which type of political system is suitable for a country and what kind of democratic system it establishes. As for China, it is pursuing the path of socialist democracy with Chinese characteristics.

In 1911, the revolution led by Sun Yat-sen overthrew the autocratic monarchy that had ruled China for several thousand years. But once the old system was gone, where China would go became the question. The Chinese people then started exploring long and hard for a path that would suit China's national conditions. They experimented with constitutional monarchy, imperial restoration, parliamentarism, multi-party system and presidential government, yet nothing really worked. Finally, China took on the path of socialism.

In the process of establishing socialism, China has made many achievements; it has also committed some mistakes and suffered setbacks. Thanks to the reform and opening-up launched more than three decades ago, China has achieved unprecedented economic growth and established socialism with Chinese characteristics with special emphasis on building socialist democracy. Given the uniqueness of its cultural tradition, history and circumstances, China has to follow a path of democracy that suits its national conditions, and that path is the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The key to adhering to the path of socialist democracy with Chinese characteristics is to use the Communist Party of China's leadership to make the people masters of the country and establish the rule of law. Making the people masters of the country is the fundamental purpose of socialist democracy with Chinese characteristics. And people's democracy cannot be practiced without the CPC's leadership.

The rule of law is the basic overall strategy of the Party in leading the people to supervise the State's affairs. The combination of CPC's leadership, rule of law and people's supervision is a basic feature of socialist democracy with Chinese characteristics and distinguishes it from other political systems.

The democratic system in China has continuously improved over the years. Since adopting the reform and opening-up policies, China has made unswerving efforts to deepen the reform of its economic and political systems in order to guarantee that the people can be the masters of the State. The building of political democracy with Chinese characteristics is progressing with vigor and vitality.