Top Communist Party of China (CPC) officials have shown up at recent national congresses of other political parties and delivered congratulatory messages, which observers say demonstrates "a greater will of the CPC towards multi-party cooperation".

The eight non-Communist parties would complete their national congresses and a new round of elections one after another before the end of this month.

The Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League (TSL) Central Committee began its national congress on Nov. 28, the first among the eight parties.

While five years ago CPC representatives attending congresses of these parties were members of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau, this year standing committee members of the Political Bureau, the top echelon of Chinese politics, attended these congresses.

Xu Jialu, chairman of the China Association for Promoting Democracy, said the CPC "breaks convention" by letting the most powerful Party officials represent the CPC at major congresses of non-Communist parties.

It was "a manifestation of sincerity and determination" of the CPC to "promote and deepen" the system of multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the Communist leadership, said Xu.

The eight non-Communist parties are: the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, China Democratic League, China Democratic National Construction Association, China Association for Promoting Democracy, Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party, China Zhi Gong Dang, Jiu San Society and Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League.

The eight parties have more than 700,000 members. The CPC regards them as "friend parties" that conduct "close cooperation" with the CPC.

After the CPC holds its national congress, other eight parties will convene their own national conventions respectively. This year, they would "learn the spirit of the 17th CPC National Congress, deliberate the party work report, discuss and pass amendment to party constitutions, and elect new central committees".

The international community has paid increasingly great attention to the development of China's democratic path.

In 2005 and 2006, the CPC Central Committee issued two special documents on strengthening multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC and work of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top advisory body.

The State Council, or cabinet, has issued white papers on China's "political party system" and "democratic political construction", displaying a democratic political system with "distinctive Chinese characteristics".

"Democracy" was mentioned more than 60 times in the report to the 17th National Congress of the CPC in October. The report contains a section "Unswervingly Developing Socialist Democracy".

Zhuang Congsheng, director of the Research Office under the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, said the CPC's leadership over the fellow parties is about leadership of political principles, orientations and important policies and guidelines.

Zhou Shuzhen, professor with the Beijing-based Renmin University of China, said the reform and opening-up has brought changes to both the CPC and non-communist parties.

"Non-communist parties should adjust themselves to China's fast-changing society," said Zhou, who has devoted many years to the study of the political system.

An increasing number of non-communist party members are holding posts in government, legislature or judicial organs. The most outstanding representatives are Wan Gang, Minister of Science and Technology, and Chen Zhu, Minister of Health.

Statistics show at the end of last year, 31,000 non-Communist party members and people without party affiliations took government official posts at and above the county level.

(Xinhua News Agency December 4, 2007)