Party Calls for Stronger National Consultative Body To Enhance Party Governance

October 4, 2006

Communist Party authorities issued the Central Party Opinion on Strengthening the Work of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) [Abstracted] (Opinion) on February 8. The Opinion reiterates the need for continued Party control of the CPPCC, while expanding the consultative role of the CPPCC to enhance the Party's own ability to govern. The CPPCC is a Party-led “united front” organization that includes Party members, Party mass organizations, and non-Party members closely allied with Party goals, including members from China's eight minor "democratic" parties.

Communist Party authorities issued the Central Party Opinion on Strengthening the Work of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) [Abstracted] (Opinion) on February 8. The Opinion reiterates the need for continued Party control of the CPPCC, while expanding the consultative role of the CPPCC to enhance the Party's own ability to govern. The CPPCC is a Party-led “united front” organization that includes Party members, Party mass organizations, and non-Party members closely allied with Party goals, including members from China's eight minor "democratic" parties. Chinese government and Party officials see the CPPCC as a means to address mounting social unrest and popular grievances, according to a March 2 Associated Press article reprinted in the Guardian of London, and a March 6 article in the 21st Century Business Herald.

The Opinion describes the importance of the CPPCC as reflecting popular opinions and providing Party and government leaders with suggestions. It calls on local Party officials to use the CPPCC to achieve Party goals. It calls for stronger guarantees that non-Party members can participate in consultations regarding government policies. The Opinion calls for Party members to respect the right of non-Party CPPCC members to participate in discussions and proposals about major government decisions, proposes a "relatively larger" number of non-Party members in the CPPCC, and recommends a "certain number" of non-Party members in CPPCC leadership positions.

The Opinion states that the Chinese government "will absolutely not imitate Western political models," and emphasizes that elections and "political consultation" before major policy decisions constitute important components of "Chinese socialist democracy." Li Junru, Vice-President of the Central Party School and a CPPCC delegate, contrasted the Chinese system of "elections + consultation" with "discredited" Western liberal democratic models, according to a March 10 China News Net article. He also said that "In order to address challenges posed by foreign and domestic pressure regarding the issue of democracy, particularly the challenge of the 'color revolutions,' the advantages of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference need to be better brought into play."

The first Party directive on CPPCC consultation since 1995, the Opinion is the latest in a series of central Party directives that call for strengthening the participatory and consultative role of Chinese legislative bodies as a means to improve the Party's governance. Party directives issued in 2004 and 2005 also directed Party officials to strengthen the role of the CPPCC and the National People's Congress, to help the public participate more in the legislative process, make it easier for delegates to comment on legislative issues, and assist in the oversight of government operations.

CPPCC

The State Council Information Office Web site lists the component organizations of the CPPCC and the functions of the organization. The CPPCC is composed of eight minor parties, Party mass organizations such as the All-China Federation of Labor Unions and All-China Women's Federation, and individuals without party affiliation.

Central Party Opinion on Strengthening the Work of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference [Abstracted]

The Opinion states: "The CPPCC is a Communist Party-led united front organization of political parties, organizations, nationalities, and classes." "CPPCC consultation is an important embodiment of Party-led multi-party cooperation . . . and it is an important channel for the Party to increase its capacity to govern." (Article 1) "The main responsibilities of the CPPCC are political consultation, democratic supervision, and political participation and discussion." (Article 1)

Article 4 describes the role of CPPCC as a means to reflect popular opinions and provide Party and government leaders with suggestions. Article 6 states that: "All levels of Party committees must deeply recognize the importance of CPPCC work . . . and be able to use the political organization and democratic form of the CPPCC to serve Party tasks and Party targets." Article 5 calls for respecting the rights of non-Party CPPCC members and assuring their representation in CPPCC institutions.

"The main forms of CPPCC democratic supervision consist of: presentation of proposals to Party committees and governments during CPPCC plenary meetings, standing committee meetings, and plenum meetings; proposals or reports by specialized [CPPCC] committees; expression of public opinion through criticism and suggestions expressed through CPPCC member investigations, proposals, reports, or other methods; participation in surveys and investigations organized by Party committees and government bureaus; CPPCC members serving as specially designated supervisory agents at the request of judicial or government bureaus." (Article 3)

Prior Party Directives

Chinese authorities issued the CPPCC Rules on Political Consultation, Democratic Supervision and Political Discussion on January 14, 1995.

Articles 5(1) and 5(4) of Central Party Decision on Strengthening the Party's Ruling Capacity, issued on September 19, 2004, directed Party officials to strengthen the role of the CPPCC to facilitate public participation and assist supervise government power. The Several Opinions by the Party Organization of the National People's Congress (NPC) on Further Steps To Expand the Utility of NPC Delegates and Strengthen the Construction of the NPC Standing Committee, called for increases in NPC delegates' access to information, ability to review relevant reports, procedures for making comments, and methods for responding to delegate comments, according to a June 17 Xinhua article summarizing the content.