SCIO press conference on 'China: Democracy That Works' white paper
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E-mail China.org.cn, December 7, 2021
CGTN:
Some people think that China is exporting its model by virtue of its growing strength, which poses threats and challenges to the "world's democracies." What's your take on this?
Xu Lin:
Thank you for your question. First of all, I would like to point out that the concept of "world's democracies" is a false proposition concocted by a few countries. Democracy is the common value of humanity and a shared wealth of global political progress. Democracy is the right of the people in every country, rather than the prerogative of a few nations. It is for its people to judge whether a country is democratic or not, and it is up to the international community to judge whether a country is democratic or not. As Mr. Tian Peiyan just said, certain countries pose as the "model of world democracy" and "beacon of democracy" while failing to combat the pandemic, suffering chaotic domestic governance and severe political polarization, and imposing hegemony and bullying other countries. Doesn't it sound absurd? At present, the cause of human democracy stands at a crossroad between progression and regression. Some countries are inciting confrontation and division globally in the name of democracy and aggravating international tensions, and became a source of chaos in the world. It is clear to all who is threatening the cause of human democracy and becoming an obstacle to world peace and development.
Democracy is an ideal that has always been cherished by the CPC and the Chinese people. This has been reflected in the main content of the white paper and in the statements made by other speakers in their answers. China is fully confident in our way of democracy. In active response to the people's needs and expectations for democracy, China has developed the whole-process people's democracy and established a democratic system covering a population of more than 1.4 billion from 56 ethnic groups living on 9.6 million square kilometers of land, making possible the widest participation of all its people.
Just now, Mr. Guo Zhenhua said that more than 1 billion voters have participated in the ongoing elections for deputies to the people's congresses at the county and township levels. Since the initiation of reform and opening up, China has held 12 direct elections to people's congresses at the township level and 11 direct elections to those at the county level, with a current participation rate of about 90%. We have a host of data and records on this. These facts together reflect the real situation of China's democracy and vividly demonstrate that the people are masters of the country.
China has developed the whole-process people's democracy here in our country and promoted democratic relations between nations. China upholds the principle that all countries, large or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, are equals. China does not copy from another country's political systems, nor do we ask other countries to replicate our practices. We believe that democracy comes in many forms in the richly diverse world and each country has the right to choose its own path to democracy. We are ready to strengthen exchange and mutual learning with other countries to jointly advance the political progress of mankind. Thank you.
Chen Wenjun:
Thank you to all the speakers and friends from the media. Today's press conference is hereby concluded.
Translated and edited by Wang Qian, Zhu Bochen, Li Xiao, Wang Yanfang, Liu Sitong, Zhou Jing, Mi Xingang, Wang Wei, Lin Liyao, Zhang Junmian, Cui Can, Liu Qiang, Zhang Rui, Huang Shan, Zhang Jiaqi, Li Huiru, Liu Jianing, Zhang Liying, Xu Xiaoxuan, Wang Yiming, David Ball, Daniel Xu, Tom Arnstein and Drew Pittock. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.
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