VII. Multi-party Cooperation System and Modernization

All democratic parties persevere in promoting development as the first priority. Focusing on the country's central work, they have earnestly performed the functions of participating in and deliberating on state affairs and exercising democratic supervision, actively promoting the development of socialist economy, politics, culture, and society.

-- Carrying out thorough investigation and research, and actively proffering ideas and suggestions. All democratic parties actively participate in the formulation and implementation of state policies. They carry out investigations and surveys on important issues of overall, strategic and perspective importance in the country's politics, economy and social life, and then make constructive proposals. In recent years, they have successively carried out investigations and surveys on such issues as the Three Gorges Project, the protection of arable land, the "Three Direct Links" across the Taiwan Straits, the development of the western region, the rise of central China, the resurgence of the old industrial bases (particularly those in Northeast China), the building of new socialist rural areas, the development of the regions along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the state-level comprehensive and coordinated reform pilot zones, the implementation of the sustainable development strategy, the formulation and implementation of the 11th Five-Year Plan, and so forth. Their proposals regarding these issues put forward to the CPC Central Committee and the State Council have been highly valued, and many of them been accepted. The local branches of all the democratic parties have also conducted investigations and research into local economic and social development issues; some places have adopted the effective working method in which "the CPC committee commissions the democratic parties to conduct surveys on certain topics and make proposals; if the proposals are adopted by the government, the related departments will fulfill them." In this way, the role of the democratic parties as policy and intelligence consultants has been efficiently brought into play.

-- Carrying out the work of poverty alleviation and promoting public welfare undertakings. With the advantage of a high concentration of talented people, all democratic parties actively launch activities to promote the development of the country's economy and society, and the coordinated development between rural and urban areas. They also work hard to promote and implement the program of intellectual support for the border areas, the "Guangcai (Glory) Program" and the "Warmth Project," as well as some public welfare undertakings, such as vocational training, setting up schools, natural disaster relief and donations, and poverty alleviation. All these endeavors have produced good economic and social effects. Many democratic party members worked in the forefront of the fight against SARS in 2003. Since the "Warmth Project," aimed at helping the poor, was initiated by the democratic parties over ten years ago, they sponsored free training courses in 27 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government), from which some one million farmers benefited, and more than 300,000 unemployed and handicapped people have received help. The "Siyuan (Think-of-the-Source) Project," which called on democratic party members to give back to society, has received donations totaling some 31.65 million yuan since its launch in 2005. In 2006, the central committees of the democratic parties organized leaders of related departments and various specialists to conduct 1,270 investigations regarding the work of intellectual support for the border areas and poverty alleviation, made 144 policy suggestions concerning the development of poverty-stricken areas, helped establish 101 projects for poverty alleviation, introduced nearly 500 million yuan in various project funds and donations, trained 25,000 people in different skills, and established 210 "Hope" primary schools. All these have won high praise from the general public. 

-- Reporting social conditions and public opinions to the higher authorities and safeguarding stability and unity. All the democratic parties make full use of their important role as coordinators and problem solvers to do a good job of reporting social conditions and public opinions to the higher authorities and to help the CPC committees and governments at all levels in scientific and democratic decision-making. They not only conduct investigations and research on some major, difficult and topical problems that have drawn wide attention from the public, but also hold forums to find solutions to these problems, and make proposals on how to improve and solve them. These problems include uneven distribution of incomes, gap between the rich and the poor, establishment and improvement of the medical insurance system, inadequate medical service, reform of state-owned enterprises, loss of state-owned assets, the production and sales of fake, shoddy and pirated products, building up social credibility, urban housing shortage, soaring housing prices, safeguarding fairness and justice, and help for the poverty-stricken. The democratic parties work hard to promote democratic supervision, and actively participate in the inspection of anti-corruption, finance and taxation, prices and environmental protection work, and the overall improvement of public security organized by the CPC committees and governments at all levels. On the principle of treating each other with all sincerity, they conduct thorough investigations and analyses, and candidly point out, without reserve, all problems they know existing in CPC committees and governments, thus continuing to enhance the quality and level of their supervisory work. Moreover, they report on issues relating to the people's interests after looking deep into these issues and going down to the grassroots, and strengthen the ideological guide for the democratic party members and the ordinary people they are in contact with, to smooth communications, answer complaints and eliminate elements that affect social stability. By doing so, they have played a positive role in promoting social harmony. 

-- Strengthening international connections and engaging in exchanges. By making full use of their rich resources of contacts, all democratic parties have made active efforts to expand their connections with compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, as well as overseas Chinese and international friends to spur the exchanges, cooperation and visits in the fields of economy, science and technology, culture, health, sports, and so on, and to bring into China foreign capital, technology, expertise and management experience. In addition, they help and support qualified enterprises to "go global" by utilizing resources from both domestic and international markets, so that these enterprises can better participate in international economic and technological cooperation and competition. Meanwhile, the scale, scope and content of exchanges continue to expand, and international ties are being strengthened through various forms of exchanges, such as academic communications, and paying and hosting visits. 

While uniting the democratic parties in their struggle, the CPC has also established close cooperation with personages without party affiliation. These personages -- having emerged in the historical circumstances of the Chinese revolution -- refer to those who, most being intellectuals, are not affiliated with any political party but have considerable influence on account of their positive contributions to society. An important force in China's political life, a constituent part of the multi-party cooperation system and a major sector of the CPPCC, they have played a significant role through all the stages of China's revolution, construction and reform. Personages without party affiliation are invited to all democratic consultation meetings and talks with democratic party members convened by the CPC Central Committee. For decades, these people have, with the overall public interest in mind, earnestly performed their functions of participation in the deliberation and administration of state affairs, and democratic supervision, conducted in-depth investigations and research, and put forward many important suggestions and proposals to the CPC and the government. The CPC supports their positive role in people's congresses, governments, CPPCC organizations and judicial organs at all levels.

A large number of outstanding people have appeared from among the ranks of the members of democratic parties and personages without party affiliation, among whom 7,142 have won national or international commendation and/or awards. One good example is WangXuan, former vice-chairman of the Central Committee of the Jiu San Society and inventor of the computerized laser typesetting system for Chinese characters. Another is Yuan Longping, an outstanding man without party affiliation. Known as the "father of hybrid rice," Yuan has made great contribution to helping China to be self-sufficient in food supply with his high-yield hybrid rice. The members of all democratic parties and personages without party affiliation are an important force in developing advanced productive forces, promoting socialist democratic politics and advanced socialist culture, and building a harmonious socialist society. They are playing an irreplaceable role in building a comparatively well-off society in an all-round way, and in accelerating the socialist modernization.

Conclusion

China's multi-party cooperation system has undergone a glorious history of 58 years. It has been proved through practice that the multi-party cooperation system, as a basic political system of China, is inevitable, innovative and superior.

At present, the Chinese people are striving with confidence for building a comparatively well-off society in an all-round way, and endeavoring to build a prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and modern socialist country. Pursuing and improving the multi-party cooperation system is conducive to promoting the sustainable development of the social productive forces, realizing the overall progress of society, further fulfilling and developing the people's democracy, facilitating socialist political civilization, expediting the development of socialist culture and socialist ethical progress, maintaining political stability and social stability and unity in the country, and boosting the construction of a harmonious socialist society. 

With the continuous development of the reform of political system and socialist democratic politics in China, the multi-party cooperation system will continue to develop. In order to pursue and improve this basic political system, we must unswervingly follow the road of developing socialist politics with Chinese characteristics. At the same time, we must actively learn from the useful fruits of the political civilization of mankind without mechanically copying other countries' political party systems. In the great cause of building socialism with Chinese characteristics, the multi-party cooperation system established and developed by the CPC and all democratic parties, will continue to be consolidated and improved to play a more and more important role. 

Appendix

A Brief Introduction to China's Democratic Parties and Personages Without Party Affiliation 

Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang (RCCK) 

In November 1947, the sect of democrats in the Chinese Kuomintang (Nationalist Party) held its first joint meeting with patriotic democratic personages in Hong Kong. On January 1, 1948, the meeting declared that the RCCK had been officially founded.

RCCK recruits members mostly from people who have relations with the former Chinese Kuomintang, those who have historical or social relations with the RCCK and those who have ties with Taiwan. The RCCK also recruits members from other sources, especially those of the middle and upper social strata, and seniorand leading intellectuals.

The successive chairpersons of the RCCK in the past were Li Jishen, He Xiangning, Zhu Yunshan, Wang Kunlun, Qu Wu, Zhu Xuefan and Li Peiyao. The present chairwoman is He Luli.

The RCCK currently has branches in 30 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government. Party membership numbers 81,000.

China Democratic League (CDL) 

The China Democratic League was secretly established on March 19, 1941 in Chongqing, and was then named China Democratic Political League. On November 16, Zhang Lan officially declared the founding of the China Democratic Political League in Chongqing. In September 1944, the China Democratic Political League held a national congress in Chongqing and decided to rename itself the China Democratic League.

The CDL is mainly made up of senior and leading intellectuals in the fields of culture, education, and science and technology. 

The successive chairpersons in the past were Huang Yanpei, Zhang Lan, Shen Junru, Yang Mingxuan, Shi Liang, Chu Tu'nan, Fei Xiaotong and Ding Shisun. The present chairman is Jiang Shusheng.

The CDL now has branches in 30 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government. Party membership numbers more than 181,000.

China National Democratic Construction Association (CNDCA)

The China National Democratic Construction Association was founded by a number of patriotic industrialists and business people, as well as some intellectuals in Chongqing on December 16,1945.

The members of the association are mainly business people. 

The successive leaders and chairpersons in the past were Huang Yanpei, Hu Juewen and Sun Qimeng. The present chairman is Cheng Siwei. 

The CNDCA has branches in 30 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government, and more than 108,000 members.

China Association for Promoting Democracy (CAPD)

Founded in Shanghai on December 30, 1945, the original members of the China Association for Promoting Democracy were mainly intellectuals in the fields of culture, education and publishing, together with a group of patriotic personages in the fields of industry and business.

Its present members are mainly senior and leading intellectuals in the fields of culture, education and publishing.

The successive chairpersons of the past were Ma Xulun, Zhou Jianren, Ye Shengtao and Lei Jieqiong. Its present chairman is Xu Jialu. 

Currently, the CAPD has branches in 29 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government, with a membership of over 103,000.

Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party (CPWDP) 

Deng Yanda, a leader of the left wing of the Kuomintang, held the first national cadres' conference of the Kuomintang in Shanghai on August 9, 1930, and at the conference the Provisional Action Committee of the Kuomintang of China was founded. On November 10, 1935, it was renamed the Chinese Action Committee for National Liberation. On February 3, 1947, it was renamed the Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party.

Its members are mainly senior and leading intellectuals in the medical field.

The successive leaders and chairpersons of the party were Deng Yanda, Huang Qixiang, Zhang Bojun, Ji Fang, Zhou Gucheng and Lu Jiaxi. Its present chairman is Jiang Zhenghua.

The CPWDP now has branches in 30 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government, with more than 99,000 members.

China Zhi Gong Dang (CZGD) 

The China Zhi Gong Dang was founded in October 1925 in San Francisco, USA, under the sponsorship of some overseas Chinese societies. In May 1947, the party held its third congress in Hong Kong, and reorganized itself into a new democratic party. 

Its members are mainly from the middle and upper social strata of returned overseas Chinese and their relatives.

The successive chairpersons of the party were Chen Qiyou, Huang Dingchen and Dong Yinchu. Its present chairman is Luo Haocai.

The CZGD now has branches in 19 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government, with more than 28,000 members.

Jiu San Society

At the end of 1944, a number of progressive scholars organized the Forum on Democracy and Science, to strive for victory in the Anti-Japanese War and political democracy, and to develop the anti-imperialist and patriotic spirit of the May 4 Movement of 1919. In commemoration of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and in the world anti-Fascist war, on September 3, 1945, it adopted the name Jiu San Society ("Jiu San" means September 3 in Chinese). On May 4, 1946, the Jiu San Society was formally founded in Chongqing.

Its members are mainly senior and leading intellectuals in the fields of science and technology.

The successive chairpersons of the past were Xu Deheng, Zhou Peiyuan and Wu Jieping. Its present chairman is Han Qide.

The Jiu San Society currently has branches in 30 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government, with more than 105,000 members.

Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League (TSL)

The TSL was founded in Hong Kong on November 12, 1947 by a number of Taiwan personages engaged in patriotic campaigns after the February 28 Uprising of the Taiwan people that year.

The TSL is composed of people from Taiwan.

The successive chairpersons of the past were Xie Xuehong, Cai Xiao, Su Ziheng, Cai Zimin and Zhang Kehui. The present chairwoman is Lin Wenyi. From 1987 to 1992, the Fourth Central Committee of the TSL adopted the presidium system. The executive chairmen were Lin Shengzhong (1987-1988) and Cai Zimin (1988-1992).

The TSL now has branches in 13 provinces and municipalities directly under the central government, with a membership of over 2,100. 

Personages Without Party Affiliation

During the New Democratic Revolution (1919-1949), the famous personages without party affiliation were generally called prominent public figures. Since the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference was founded in 1949, the category of "democratic personages without party affiliation" has been set up. Currently, those who do not belong to any party but have made positive contributions to and have a positive influence on society are categorized as personages without party affiliation. They are mostly intellectuals. 

The representatives of this group included Guo Moruo, Ma Yinchu, Ba Jin, Miao Yuntai and Cheng Siyuan.