Chinese Embassy in Spain expounds on China's democracy

MADRID - The Chinese Embassy in Madrid has recently expounded on China's democracy by offering answers to five common questions about the political system in China.

In response to the first question as to whether China is a democracy, the embassy said: "history and reality have fully demonstrated that China's model of democracy conforms to its own national conditions and is supported by the people, and is a true democracy, a functioning democracy, and a successful democracy. China is a democracy without a doubt."

"People's democracy in all processes in China is not the democracy of a few people or interest groups, but the democracy of the majority and of the people as a whole," it added.

In this model of democracy, the embassy said, people fully enjoy their rights to information, expression and supervision, and herein China's whole-process people's democracy is involved.

And thanks to the solid leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), it said, this democracy "makes the people happy and benefits their wellbeing," as shown by the "rapid development and eradication of poverty" in the country.

In response to the second question as to how the institutions guarantee this democracy, the embassy highlighted the system of the National People's Congress as the greatest expression for the people run the country, describing it as an important institutional vehicle for realizing whole-process people's democracy in China.

The members of this assembly include many front-line workers, and come from "all regions, ethnic groups, sectors and classes," and "all of whom are elected by the electorate," and take part "extensively in the management of state affairs."

The embassy also points out that in addition to the CPC, there are eight democratic parties, which consult with the CPC and non-party numbers on major national and local policies and important issues through forums, talks, and written and other forms of consultation.

Meanwhile, democracy reaches down to grass-roots level through China's 155 ethnic autonomous areas, which help guarantee "equal rights to freedom, as well as the economic, social and cultural rights of citizens of ethnic minorities at the institutional and political level."

On how this system benefits the Chinese people, the embassy pointed to the economic progress which has "lifted more than 800 million people out of extreme poverty, creating a miracle of poverty reduction in the world."

The country has also "built the largest social security system in the world, with more than 1.3 billion people covered by basic medical insurance and more than 1 billion people covered by basic pension insurance."

The embassy also underlined China's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has left "everyone protected" with over 1 billion people having been fully inoculated against COVID-19 across the country.

An important part of democracy is the right of citizens to be able to freely express their opinions, and the embassy explained that "all major legislation decisions in China are the result of a democratic process," with the public asked to comment on 187 bills since the 18th CPC National Congress.

The government also asked for advice in drafting its 14th Five-Year Plan, and a group of high school students in China thus expressed their views on the revision of the Child Protection Law, said the embassy.

"In China, the demands of the people can be freely expressed and effectively met," it added.

The last question looks at international relations where China believes that "all countries, large or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, are equal in international relations," and works to back up that belief.

The COVID-19 pandemic serves as another striking illustration of how "China is actively pursuing international cooperation," said the embassy, noting that China has provided "more than 1.8 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to more than 120 countries and international organizations."

In economic relations, the "Belt and Road Initiative has managed to incorporate 140 countries and 32 international organizations, positioning itself as the largest platform for global cooperation."

On combating climate change, the embassy highlighted how "President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Development Initiative, which outlines the direction to accelerate the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and promotes global development towards a new stage of balance, coordination and inclusion."

Meanwhile, China will continue to firmly safeguard the international system with the United Nations as the core and the international order based on international law, while "promoting humanity's common values of peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom," said the embassy.