On January 23, 2022, Chinese Consul General in Penang Mr. Lu Shiwei published a signed article titled “Democracy Comes in Many Forms in the Richly Diverse World” in Malaysian media Nanyang Siang Pau. The full text is as follows:

Governments worldwide have worked painstakingly to develop democratic practices that are distinct from one another, adding diversity to mankind’s political achievements and forms. However, for a long time, some Western countries have monopolized the right to interpret democracy by exaggerating the Western model of democracy and labeling it as “the end of history” and “universal value”. In the narrative about China from Western countries, China is still an “undemocratic” country even though it has created a miracle of economic growth, eradicated absolute poverty, successfully fought the COVID-19 pandemic, and enjoys support from the vast majority of the people. However, the fact is that through the exploration and practice over a century, China has found a path to democracy suited to its national circumstances, which is whole-process people’s democracy.

Whole-process people’s democracy involves complete institutional procedures. In China, the people’s status as masters of the country is the bedrock of all the systems of the country, and underlies the operation of all the systems for state governance. Through the System of People’s Congresses, the System of Multiparty Cooperation and Political Consultation Under CPC Leadership, the System of Regional Ethnic Autonomy, the System of Community-Level Self-Governance, etc., China has established well-coordinated and comprehensive institutional procedures which serve to put into place the democratic channels to ensure that the people are masters of the country, so as to enable people’s democratic rights not only to be reflected in “democratic voting”, but also in “democratic consultations”, “democratic decision-making”, “democratic management”, “democratic oversight”, etc., and leave no room for politicians to shower promises while campaigning and break them all once elected.

China’s whole-process people’s democracy can solve practical problems. Democracy is not a decorative ornament, but an instrument for addressing the issues that concern the people. In the past few decades, China’s economy has maintained long-term, stable, and rapid growth, and people’s lives have significantly improved. China has completed the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects. The entire country has shaken off absolute poverty and embarked on the road to common prosperity. China has established the world’s largest social security system. The number of people covered by basic medical insurance has surpassed 1.3 billion, and the number of those covered by basic old-age insurance has now exceeded 1 billion. These show that China’s model of democracy has boosted national development and social progress, and ensured the wellbeing of the people. It is high-quality democracy. Whether China’s model of democracy is successful should be judged by its people. The Harvard Kennedy School of Government has conducted a 13-year continuous survey in China. The survey has found that Chinese citizens’ level of public satisfaction with the government is as high as 93 percent.

China’s whole-process people’s democracy has contributed a new model to the international political spectrum. China has created and developed whole-process people’s democracy in line with its national conditions. This is a form of democracy with distinctive Chinese features which at the same time reflects humanity’s universal desire for democracy. Now, the entire Chinese population of more than 1.4 billion, almost one fifth of the world’s total, enjoys extensive rights as masters of the country. China’s new approach to democracy greatly enhances the confidence of all mankind in developing their own democracy. This represents significant contribution to international politics.

Facts have proved that China’s model of democracy is a most suitable form of democracy in accordance with its characteristics and realities. It enjoys the support of the people. It is a true and successful democracy that works.

Whether a model of democracy works should be judged by its people. Whether a country is democratic should be acknowledged by the international community, not arbitrarily decided by a few self-appointed judges. Over the years, without regard to huge differences in the level of economic development and in the historical and cultural backgrounds of countries around the world, the United States (US) has incessantly interfered in other countries’ internal affairs and waged wars under the disguise of “democracy”, creating regional turbulence and humanitarian disasters. Not long ago, the US held the so-called democracy summit which monopolized the definition and judgement of democracy, and determined which countries are democratic and which are not based on its own liking. It is measuring the merits of other countries’ democracy with its own yardstick, which is a betrayal of the democratic spirit.

There is no perfect system of democracy in the world. The US’ system of democracy is derived from its own practices. This system is unique, not universally applicable, and it is far from perfect. From a historical perspective, the development of democracy in the US was a step forward. However, over the years, democracy in the US has become alienated and degenerated, and it has increasingly deviated from the essence of democracy and its original design. Today, problems like money politics, identity politics, wrangling between political parties, political polarization, social division, racial tension, and wealth gap have become more acute. All these have weakened the functioning of democracy in the US. A report by the Pew Research Center shows that the vast majority of Americans feel deeply disappointed by the US political system. Only 17 percent think American democracy is a good example for other countries to follow, while 23 percent believe American democracy is never a good example. 

As countries have different national conditions, the democracy and political system of each country develop along the paths chosen by different peoples based on their exploration and innovation. Assessing the myriad political systems in the world against a single yardstick and examining diverse political structures in monochrome are in themselves undemocratic. In the richly diverse world, democracy comes in many forms. Each country has the right to choose its own path to democracy. China does not imitate other countries’ political systems, nor does it ask other countries to replicate its practices. China is willing to exchange fully with other countries on democracy in an open and inclusive manner, and contribute our due share to the global political progress.