Strengthen and improve the work of the CPPCC and comprehensively develop consultative democracy※
Xi Jinping
one
Achieving our goals requires the joint efforts of the whole country and the strengthening of unity and cooperation between the Communist Party of China and various democratic parties and people without party affiliation.
The democratic parties are participating parties of socialism with Chinese characteristics that cooperate fully with the Communist Party of China. Persons without party affiliation are an important force in my country's political life.
All democratic parties and persons without party affiliation must take adhering to the political development path of socialism with Chinese characteristics as the fundamental direction, improve their ability to participate in and discuss government affairs and democratic supervision, and improve their political grasp, organizational leadership, and cooperation capabilities.
The Federation of Industry and Commerce must strengthen ideological and political construction and duty performance capabilities, and strive to become a people's organization and chamber of commerce with firm politics, distinctive characteristics, and excellent work style.
(Speech given on February 6, 2013 when welcoming the New Year with people outside the Party)
two
Deliberative democracy is a unique form and unique advantage of my country's socialist democratic politics, and an important manifestation of the party's mass line in the political field.
Advancing consultative democracy is conducive to improving the people's orderly political participation, strengthening the flesh-and-blood ties between the party and the people, and promoting scientific and democratic decision-making.
(Explanation on the "Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Several Major Issues Concerning Comprehensively Deepening Reform" on November 9, 2013)
On September 20, 2019, the Central Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Working Conference and the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference were held in the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Auditorium.
Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President of the State, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission attended the conference and delivered an important speech.
Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ju Peng/
three
Looking back on the 65-year development history of the CPPCC, we realize more deeply that the CPPCC is rooted in Chinese history and culture, emerged from the great struggle of the Chinese people’s revolution in modern times, developed out of the glorious practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and has distinctive Chinese characteristics. It is an important force in achieving national prosperity, national rejuvenation, and people's happiness.
We have every reason to believe that the CPPCC has created a glorious history and will surely create an even more brilliant future!
(Speech at a meeting to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference on September 21, 2014)
Four
The CPPCC is the broadest patriotic united front organization.
The united front is an important magic weapon for the Chinese Communist Party to win the cause of revolution, construction, and reform, and is also an important magic weapon for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
(Speech at a meeting to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference on September 21, 2014)
five
There are many forms of democracy, and we cannot stick to rigid models, let alone one standard of evaluation that is universally applicable.
Whether the people enjoy democratic rights depends on whether the people have the right to vote in elections and whether the people have the right to continue to participate in daily political life. It depends on whether the people have the right to conduct democratic elections. It also depends on whether the people have the right to conduct democratic elections. There is no right to democratic decision-making, democratic management, and democratic supervision.
Socialist democracy requires not only complete institutional procedures, but also complete participatory practices.
The people being the masters of the country must be concretely and realistically reflected in the Chinese Communist Party’s governance and national governance, concretely and realistically reflected in the work of the Chinese Communist Party and state agencies in all aspects and at all levels, and concretely and realistically reflected in the people’s responsibility for the country. The realization and development of self-interest come up.
(Speech at a meeting to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference on September 21, 2014)
six
Under China's socialist system, everything is easy to discuss, everyone's affairs are discussed by everyone, and finding the greatest common denominator of the will and demands of the whole society is the true meaning of people's democracy.
Matters involving the interests of the people must be discussed among the people. If there is no discussion or insufficient discussion, it will be difficult to get things done.
We must insist on discussing more things, discuss more when things happen, and discuss more when doing things. The more and in-depth discussions, the better.
Matters involving the interests of the people of all ethnic groups in the country must be discussed extensively among all the people and the whole society; matters involving the interests of the people of a locality must be discussed extensively among the people of that place; matters involving the interests of some people or the interests of specific people , must be discussed extensively among this group of people; matters involving the interests of the grassroots people must be widely discussed among the grassroots people.
The process of extensive consultation in all aspects among the people is a process of promoting democracy and brainstorming, a process of unifying ideas and building consensus, a process of scientific decision-making and democratic decision-making, and a process of realizing that the people are the masters of the country.
Only in this way can national governance and social governance have a solid foundation and can gather strong strength.
(Speech at a meeting to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference on September 21, 2014)
seven
On the basis of summarizing the practice of people's democracy in New China, we clearly stated that in our socialist country with a large population and vast territory, major issues related to the national economy and people's livelihood should be subject to extensive consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, which reflects the democratic and centralized approach. Unification; the people exercise their rights through elections and voting, and all parties within the people conduct full consultations before major decisions and try to reach consensus on common issues as much as possible. These are two important forms of China's socialist democracy.
In China, these two forms of democracy do not replace or negate each other, but complement and complement each other. Together they constitute the institutional characteristics and advantages of China's socialist democratic politics.
(Speech at a meeting to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference on September 21, 2014)
On March 6, 2023, Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President of the State, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, visited the members of the Democratic National Construction Association and the Joint Industry and Commerce Committee who attended the first session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and participated in the joint organizing meeting to listen to opinions and suggestions.
Wang Huning, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and host of the presidium meeting of the first session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee, Cai Qi and Ding Xuexiang, members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, attended the visit and discussion.
Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Xie Huanchi
eight
Deliberative democracy is a unique, unique, and unique form of democracy in China's socialist democratic politics. It originates from the excellent political culture of the Chinese nation such as serving the common good, being inclusive, and seeking common ground while reserving differences. It originates from the reality of China's political development since modern times. The process stems from the long-term practice of the Communist Party of China in leading the people to carry out revolution, construction, and reform. It stems from the great creations in the political system jointly achieved by all parties, groups, all nationalities, all strata, and people from all walks of life after the founding of New China. It stems from Since the reform and opening up, China has continued to innovate in its political system, which has a profound cultural, theoretical, practical and institutional foundation.
(Speech at a meeting to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference on September 21, 2014)
Nine
Serving the people wholeheartedly and always representing the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the people is an important prerequisite and foundation for us to implement and develop deliberative democracy.
The Constitution of the Communist Party of China stipulates: The Communist Party of China has no special interests of its own except the interests of the working class and the overwhelming majority of the people.
The Communist Party of China and the country it leads represent the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the people. All its theories, lines, principles, policies, and all its work plans and arrangements should come from the people and should be formulated and implemented for the benefit of the people.
Under this major political premise, we should and can widely listen to opinions and suggestions from all aspects of the people.
Under the unified leadership of the Communist Party of China, through various forms of consultation, extensive listening to opinions and suggestions, and widespread acceptance of criticism and supervision, the greatest consensus on decision-making and work can be broadly reached, and effectively overcome the competition between parties and interest groups for their own interests. The disadvantages of strife; it can widely unblock the channels for various interests and appeals to enter the decision-making process, effectively overcome the disadvantages of different political forces being stubborn and rejecting dissenters in order to safeguard and fight for their own interests; it can widely form a mechanism for discovering and correcting mistakes and errors , effectively overcome the shortcomings of unclear situation and self-righteousness in decision-making; it can widely form a mechanism for the people to participate in management and governance at all levels, effectively overcome the shortcomings of the people's inability to express themselves and find it difficult to participate in national political life and social governance; it can widely unite the whole country The wisdom and strength of society in promoting reform and development can effectively overcome the shortcomings of low consensus and implementation of various policies and work.
This is the unique advantage of China’s socialist deliberative democracy.
(Speech at a meeting to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference on September 21, 2014)
ten
Socialist deliberative democracy has roots, origins and vitality in our country. It is a great creation of the Chinese Communists and the Chinese people. It is a unique form and unique advantage of China’s socialist democratic politics. It is an important manifestation of the party’s mass line in the political field. .
We must have a deep understanding of this basic characterization, further build consensus, and better promote the construction of this system.
We insist on discussing more things, discussing more when things happen, and discussing more when doing things. The more and in-depth discussions the better, that is, we must find solutions, consensus, feelings, and unity through discussion.
(Speech at the sixth meeting of the Central Leading Group for Comprehensively Deepening Reforms on October 27, 2014)
eleven
We have a set of theories and a set of systems that suit our national conditions. At the same time, we also hold an open attitude. Whether it is traditional or foreign, we must take the essence and discard the dross, but the basic things must be our own. We can only follow our own path.
We are governed by the Communist Party of China, and all democratic parties participate in politics. There is no opposition party. We are not a tripartite power, with multiple parties taking turns in power. Our country's legal system must be consistent with this system.
(Speech delivered at a special seminar for leading cadres at the provincial and ministerial levels to study and implement the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee and comprehensively promote the rule of law on February 2, 2015)
twelve
Give play to the important role of socialist deliberative democracy.
It is easy to discuss things, and everyone's affairs should be discussed by everyone. This is the true meaning of people's democracy.
Deliberative democracy is an important way to realize the party's leadership and is a unique form and unique advantage of my country's socialist democratic politics.
It is necessary to promote the broad, multi-level, and institutionalized development of deliberative democracy, and coordinate the advancement of political party consultations, people's congress consultations, government consultations, CPPCC consultations, people's organization consultations, grassroots consultations, and social organization consultations.
Strengthen the construction of the consultative democratic system, form complete institutional procedures and participation practices, and ensure that the people have the right to extensive, sustained and in-depth participation in daily political life.
(Report at the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China on October 18, 2017)
Thirteen
As a basic political system in our country, the system of multi-party cooperation and political consultation led by the Communist Party of China is a great political creation of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese people, democratic parties and non-party personages. It is a new type of political party system grown from Chinese soil.
It is said to be a new type of political party system. What is new is that it is the product of the combination of Marxist party theory and China's reality. It can truly, extensively and lastingly represent and realize the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the people and the fundamental interests of all ethnic groups and all walks of life in the country. It has effectively avoided The old party system represented the shortcomings of a small number of people and interest groups; the new thing is that it closely unites all political parties and non-party people to strive for a common goal, effectively avoiding the lack of supervision by one party or the vicious and vicious situation of multiple parties taking turns to dominate. The disadvantages of competition; what is new is that it collects various opinions and suggestions through institutionalized, procedural and standardized arrangements, promotes scientific and democratic decision-making, and effectively avoids the old party system being limited by party interests, class interests, regions and groups. The disadvantages of profit-based decision-making and governance leading to social division.
It not only conforms to the reality of contemporary China, but also conforms to the excellent traditional culture that the Chinese nation has always advocated such as serving the world for the common good, being inclusive, seeking common ground while reserving differences, and is a major contribution to human political civilization.
(Speech made on March 4, 2018 when visiting the Democratic League, Zhi Gong Party, non-party personages and members of the Overseas Chinese Federation participating in the first session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and attending the joint organizing meeting)
fourteen
The CPPCC is a great achievement of the Communist Party of China that combines the Marxist-Leninist united front theory, political party theory, and democratic political theory with China's reality. great creation.
Over the past 70 years, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the CPPCC has adhered to the two major themes of unity and democracy, served the central tasks of the party and the country, and played a very important role in the establishment of New China and socialist revolution, construction, and reform in various historical periods.
(Speech at the Central Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Working Conference and the Celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference on September 20, 2019)
On December 29, 2023, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference held a New Year's Tea Party in Beijing.
Party and state leaders Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Han Zheng attended the tea party and watched the performance.
Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ju Peng/
fifteen
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, we have summed up our experience and put forward a series of new requirements for the work of the CPPCC, mainly in the following aspects.
The first is to strengthen the party’s leadership over the work of the People’s Political Consultative Conference.
The leadership of the Communist Party of China is the common choice of all Chinese people, including all democratic parties, organizations, ethnic groups, classes, and people from all walks of life. It is the original intention when the CPPCC was established, and it is the fundamental guarantee for the development and progress of the CPPCC.
It is necessary to uphold the party's leadership throughout all the work of the CPPCC and effectively implement the requirements of the Party Central Committee for the work of the CPPCC.
The second is to accurately grasp the nature and positioning of the CPPCC.
As a united front organization, an institution for multi-party cooperation and political consultation, and an important form of realizing people's democracy, the People's Political Consultative Conference is an important channel and specialized consultative body for socialist deliberative democracy. It is an important part of the national governance system and a system with Chinese characteristics. institutional arrangements.
The CPPCC must adhere to its nature and unswervingly follow the path of socialist political development with Chinese characteristics.
The third is to give full play to the role of the special consultation body of the People's Political Consultative Conference.
Deliberative democracy is an important way to realize the party's leadership and is a unique form and unique advantage of my country's socialist democratic politics.
It is necessary to give full play to the role of the specialized consultative body of the People's Political Consultative Conference, integrate deliberative democracy throughout the entire process of performing its functions, adhere to the interconnection between promoting democracy and enhancing unity, make suggestions and help build consensus, and actively carry out democratic activities around the implementation of important decisions and arrangements of the party and the country. supervision.
The fourth is to uphold and improve my country's new political party system.
The system of multi-party cooperation and political consultation led by the Communist Party of my country is a basic political system of our country and a new type of political party system grown from Chinese soil. The People's Political Consultative Conference must create conditions for democratic parties and non-party personages to play a better role in the CPPCC .
The fifth is to gather people's hearts and strength extensively.
The CPPCC should give full play to its organizational function as a united front, adhere to great unity and unity, adhere to consistency and unity in diversity, constantly consolidate the common ideological and political foundation, strengthen ideological and political guidance, build broad consensus, strive to seek the greatest common denominator, and draw the largest concentric circles. , bringing together the majestic power to achieve national rejuvenation.
Sixth, focus on the central tasks of the party and the country and perform their duties responsibly.
The CPPCC should take realizing the first centenary goal and moving towards the second centenary goal as the direction of performance of its duties, focus on promoting the solution of the problem of unbalanced and inadequate development, closely focus on the overall situation, aim at grasping key points, and make up for We will conduct in-depth consultations and centralized discussions on important issues regarding shortcomings and strengths and weaknesses, and strengthen supervision to promote implementation.
Seventh, we insist that the CPPCC serves the people.
The CPPCC must continue to meet the people's needs for a better life and promote the improvement of people's livelihood as an important focus, listen to the voices of the people, reflect the people's wishes, grasp practical issues in the field of people's livelihood and do a good job in assisting the party and the government to improve people's well-being.
The eighth is to promote the construction of duty performance capabilities in the spirit of reform and innovation.
The CPPCC must persist in reform and innovation, and strive to enhance its ability to grasp politics, investigate and research, connect with the masses, and work together.
It is necessary to strengthen the construction of the team of committee members, educate and guide committee members to understand the CPPCC, consult at meetings, discuss politics well, observe discipline, observe rules, and maintain good conduct.
(Speech at the Central Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Working Conference and the Celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference on September 20, 2019)
sixteen
70 years of practice have proven that the CPPCC system has unique advantages in many aspects.
Marx and Engels said: "What is democracy? It must have a certain meaning, otherwise it cannot exist. Therefore, the whole problem is to determine the true meaning of democracy." The forms of realizing democratic politics are rich and colorful, and we cannot stick to them. Stereotype pattern.
Practice has fully proved that Chinese-style democracy is feasible and effective in China.
Under the new situation, we must uphold the CPPCC system well, develop the CPPCC cause well, strengthen our responsibility for carrying out united front work, and unite more people around the party.
(Speech at the Central Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Working Conference and the Celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference on September 20, 2019)
On February 7, 2024, Xi Jinping, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and others gathered together with people outside the party at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to welcome the festival.
This is Xi Jinping taking a group photo with everyone.
Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Xie Huanchi
seventeen
In the new era, the overall requirements for strengthening and improving the work of the CPPCC are: guided by the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, strengthen the "four consciousnesses", strengthen the "four self-confidences", achieve "two safeguards", and adhere to the and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics as the main axis of consolidating the common ideological and political foundation, taking serving the realization of the "Two Centenary Goals" as the main line of work, taking strengthening ideological and political guidance and broadly building consensus as the central link, and adhering to the two major pillars of unity and democracy. theme, improve the level of political consultation, democratic supervision, and participation in government affairs, better build consensus, shoulder the political responsibility of implementing the decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee and the work requirements of the People's Political Consultative Conference, and unite the wisdom and strength of the Chinese people at home and abroad, for a decisive victory and make contributions to building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and then comprehensively building a modern and powerful socialist country.
(Speech at the Central Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Working Conference and the Celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference on September 20, 2019)
eighteen
I have said that under China's socialist system, everything should be discussed easily, everyone's affairs should be discussed by everyone, and finding the greatest common denominator of the will and demands of the whole society is the true meaning of people's democracy.
Deliberative democracy is an important system design for the party to lead the people to effectively govern the country and ensure that the people are the masters of the country. It complements and complements each other with electoral democracy.
The CPPCC promotes broad unity, promotes multi-party cooperation, and practices people's democracy during consultations. It not only adheres to historical traditions, but also reflects the characteristics of the times. It fully embodies the characteristics and characteristics of my country's socialist democracy that there is more discussion on everything, more discussion on everything, and more discussion on all things done. Advantage.
(Speech at the Central Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Working Conference and the Celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference on September 20, 2019)
nineteen
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, we have deepened our understanding of the development laws of democratic politics and put forward the important concept of whole-process people's democracy.
Our country's whole-process people's democracy not only has complete institutional procedures, but also has complete participatory practices.
Our country implements a state system of people's democratic dictatorship led by the working class and based on the alliance of workers and peasants, a government system of the People's Congress system, a system of multi-party cooperation and political consultation led by the Communist Party of China, a system of regional ethnic autonomy, a system of grassroots mass autonomy, etc. The basic political system has consolidated and developed the broadest patriotic united front, formed a comprehensive, extensive, and organically connected system of people being the masters of the country, and built diverse, smooth, and orderly democratic channels.
All people practice democratic elections, democratic consultations, democratic decision-making, democratic management, and democratic supervision in accordance with the law, and manage state affairs, economic and cultural undertakings, and social affairs through various channels and forms in accordance with the law.
Our country's whole-process people's democracy has realized the unity of process democracy and outcome democracy, procedural democracy and substantive democracy, direct democracy and indirect democracy, and people's democracy and the will of the country. It is a full-chain, all-round, and full-coverage democracy. It is the broadest and most comprehensive democracy. The true and most effective socialist democracy.
We must continue to promote the construction of people's democracy throughout the entire process, and make the people the masters of the country concretely and realistically reflected in the policies and measures of the party's governance of the country, and concretely and realistically reflected in the work of the party and state agencies at all levels and in all aspects. It should be reflected in the work of realizing the people's yearning for a better life in a practical and practical way.
(Speech at the Central People’s Congress Work Conference on October 13, 2021)
twenty
Comprehensively develop deliberative democracy.
Deliberative democracy is an important form of practicing people's democracy throughout the process.
Improve the system of deliberative democracy, coordinate the promotion of party consultations, people's congress consultations, government consultations, CPPCC consultations, people's organization consultations, grassroots consultations and social organization consultations, improve various institutionalized consultation platforms, and promote the broad and multi-layered institutional development of deliberative democracy.
Uphold and improve the multi-party cooperation and political consultation system under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, adhere to the organic combination of party leadership, united front, and consultative democracy, adhere to the two-way power of promoting democracy and enhancing unity, advising on governance and building consensus, and give full play to the role of the People's Political Consultative Conference The role of specialized consultation bodies shall be strengthened to strengthen institutionalization, standardization, procedures and other functions, improve the level of in-depth consultation and interaction, full expression of opinions, and broad consensus building, and improve the democratic supervision of the People's Political Consultative Conference and the system and mechanism for members to contact the masses of different sectors.
(Report at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China on October 16, 2022)
twenty one
The "second combination" allows us to take the ideological and cultural initiative and exert a powerful influence on roads, theories and systems.
From this perspective, the People's Congress system and the political consultation system created by our party are closely related to the people-oriented thinking of Chinese civilization, the concept of world co-governance, the governance tradition of "republicanism" and "consultation", and the political wisdom of "inclusiveness, seeking common ground while reserving differences" are deeply related.
We did not engage in federalism or confederacy, but established a unitary state and implemented a system of regional ethnic autonomy. This is to conform to the general trend of the development of the Chinese nation of inward cohesion and pluralism, and to inherit the coherence of nine states, the common style of six states, and the cosmopolitan China. Culture unifies tradition.
More importantly, the "second combination" is another ideological emancipation, allowing us to make full use of the precious resources of China's excellent traditional culture in a broader cultural space and explore future-oriented theoretical and institutional innovations.
(Speech at the symposium on cultural inheritance and development on June 2, 2023)
※This is an excerpt from General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important exposition on strengthening and improving the work of the People’s Political Consultative Conference and comprehensively developing deliberative democracy from February 2013 to June 2023.