Unbeknown to most foreigners is the fact that China has eight political parties, which enjoy political freedom, organizational independence and legal equality under the Constitution. Could you explain what role these parties play in China's political process?

The Communist Party of China (CPC) and the eight democratic parties are the basis for China's political party system, which is "multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC." The major role of the eight parties takes the following forms: first, participating in the exercise of state power, consultation on fundamental state policies and the choice of state leaders, the administration of state affairs, and the formulation and implementation of state policies, laws and regulations; and second, putting forward criticisms and suggestions on CPC's ruling policies and work at various levels.

The CPC holds that encouraging these parties to participate in political affairs and democratic supervision is of great significance for consolidating and improving the CPC leadership and the construction of democratic politics.

What form of consultation takes place between the CPC and other political parties?

The CPC consults with the democratic parties on major state guidelines and key state affairs before making decisions. The major forms of political consultation between CPC and the eight democratic parties on the state level are:

First, convening the people's political consultative conferences and discussing the state policies and guidelines. Besides the plenary session held once every year, the Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee holds a meeting every three months. Second, top leaders of the CPC Central Committee invite leaders of the democratic parties to attend consultation conferences and discuss state policies to be announced by the CPC Central Committee. Such meeting is normally held once every year. Third, top leaders of the CPC Central Committee hold high-level, small-scope talks with leaders of democratic parties to exchange views and ideas on an irregular basis. Fourth, the CPC convenes seminars participated in by the democratic parties and representative personages without party affiliation, at which important issues are briefed, ideas exchanged and policy-related proposals solicited. Such meeting is normally held every two months. The political consultation takes almost the same form on the local levels. Therefore, China's democracy is also called "consultative democracy."

Can non-CPC members hold senior positions within the government?

Yes. It is a key part of China's multi-party cooperation system that non-CPC members take leadership positions in the government. At various levels of the Chinese Government, there are non-CPC members taking senior positions. For example, in this government, the Minister of Science and Technology and Minister of Health are both non-CPC members. In other departments of the Central Government, there are also some non-CPC members serving as vice ministers. And there are non-CPC deputy provincial governors, vice mayors and deputy county heads at the local levels. According to the statistics, currently over 8,000 non-CPC members hold government positions at and above the deputy division (county) chief level in government and judicial organs.

How many seats in the National People's Conference (NPC) - China's top legislature - are held by non-CPC members?

Among the 2,987 deputies to the 11th NPC, there are 801 non-CPC personages, accounting for 26.84 percent.

The NPC is sometimes referred to in Western media as a "rubber stamp" for CPC decisions. How does the NPC operate?

The NPC is the highest organ of state power and organizational form of state authority.

Besides the function of legislation, the NPC decides on the major guidelines and state policies, such as the plan on National Economic and Social Development and the state budget. It elects president and vice presidents of the People's Republic of China, decides on the choice of the premier of the State Council upon nomination by the president, elects the president of the Supreme People's Court and the procurator general of the Supreme People's Procuratorate. It also supervises the enforcement of laws and the work of the State Council, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate. 

The NPC members are elected by the people's congresses at the provincial level and serve five-year terms. The major tasks for the NPC deputies include: examining proposals of the state organs and putting forward proposals and suggestions. Besides convening conferences, the NPC organizes deputies to supervise the law enforcement of the local authorities. Taking legislation as an example, all bills should be deliberated three times before being voted. In recent years, the numbers of negative votes and abstentions from voting have risen, indicating that CPC doesn't determine everything.

Even if the NPC were a "rubber stamp," it's getting tougher and tougher, both in legislation and supervision.