China's eight non-Communist parties have more than 600,000 members, according to statistics released Thursday.

At a press conference of the United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Beijing Thursday, You Luoping, an official with the department, said the statistics show more than 140,000 of those members have been elected as deputies to people's congress at various levels. More than 8,000 of them hold leading posts in governmental and judicial departments above county-level.

It was the first time for the department to hold a press conference at the Information Office of the State Council. It attracted more than 100 reporters from home and abroad.

China's political party system differs from the multi-party or two-party systems of some Western countries and also differs from the one-party system in other countries, You said.

Multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC are at the core of China's political system, said Chen Xiqing at the press conference, deputy head of the department.

All the non-Communist parties are friendly parties, rather than opposition or out-of-office parties. They participate in the discussion and management of State affairs in co-operation with the CPC, You said.

Being one of the characteristics of China's socialist society, the united front is a long-term policy of the (CPC) to unite people from all classes, social strata, political parties and all forces that can be united, said Chen.

The united front has always been a vital aspect of the overall work of CPC, as well an important weapon through which to realize victory in revolution, construction and reform, Chen said.

Speaking of the basic functions of the united front, Chen said his department is in charge of transmitting views, demands, criticisms and suggestions of non-Communist parties and people without party affiliation to help the CPC committees at various levels keep abreast of new developments.

Another function is to investigate and research on the implementation of fundamental policies regarding the united front, and put forward the views of the Party, he said.

Moreover, it also strives to discover and foster representatives of non-Communist parties, and provide assistance for relevant departments in recommending personnel for posts in people's congresses, governments and other departments at all levels, Chen said.

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

(China Daily December 5, 2003)