The opening meeting of the second session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, on March 4, 2024. [Photo by Zou Hong/chinadaily.com.cn]

BEIJING -- The annual sessions of the national legislature and political advisory body, or the "two sessions," are one of the most significant events in the Chinese political calendar, providing a window to observe the ideas and practices of whole-process people's democracy.

The concept of "whole-process people's democracy" was first put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping during an inspection tour of Shanghai in 2019. While visiting a community-level legislative outreach office there, Xi said people's democracy in China is a type of whole-process democracy. He has on many occasions emphasized the importance of this democracy.

The concept of whole-process people's democracy is a result of the creative evolution and development of the wisdom of political philosophy in the fine traditional Chinese culture. In contrast to the Western model, where democracy and elections are frequently equated, the whole-process people's democracy truly integrates law-based democratic elections, consultations, decision-making, management, and oversight through a series of laws and institutional arrangements.

The essence of the people's democracy is that people get to discuss their own affairs to reach the greatest common ground based on the wishes and needs of the entire society.

Take the "two sessions" as an example, national lawmakers and political advisors representing diverse backgrounds, ethnicities and professions convene in Beijing to discharge their responsibilities.

They engage in in-depth deliberations and heated discussions, focusing on a wide range of topics such as income distribution, education, medical care, housing, elderly care, and child care.

Just as Xi once said, democracy is not an ornament to be put on display, but an instrument for addressing the issues that concern the people.

China enables its people to participate in the "whole process" of the administration of state affairs, and allows its people to engage in real democracy to efficiently address and resolve issues.

Xi called whole-process people's democracy "the defining feature of socialist democracy," and said it is democracy "in its broadest, most genuine, and most effective form."