A democratic system that suits China

Democracy, as a sign of human civilization and progress, is the common pursuit of humankind. People's will and national conditions play a large role in determining which type of political system is suitable for a country and what kind of democratic system it establishes. As for China, it is pursuing the path of socialist democracy with Chinese characteristics.

In 1911, the revolution led by Sun Yat-sen overthrew the autocratic monarchy that had ruled China for several thousand years. But once the old system was gone, where China would go became the question. The Chinese people then started exploring long and hard for a path that would suit China's national conditions. They experimented with constitutional monarchy, imperial restoration, parliamentarism, multi-party system and presidential government, yet nothing really worked. Finally, China took on the path of socialism.

In the process of establishing socialism, China has made many achievements; it has also committed some mistakes and suffered setbacks. Thanks to the reform and opening-up launched more than three decades ago, China has achieved unprecedented economic growth and established socialism with Chinese characteristics with special emphasis on building socialist democracy. Given the uniqueness of its cultural tradition, history and circumstances, China has to follow a path of democracy that suits its national conditions, and that path is the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.