World should listen more to developing countries, says Chinese official

BALI, Indonesia - The international community should listen more to the voices of developing countries when promoting democracy, a senior Chinese official said here Thursday.

Hailing the achievements of the emerging economies in developing their own democracy pattern while pushing for modernization, Dong Yunhu, Deputy Director of China's State Council Information Office, said it would not be in the spirit of democracy if a few developed countries dominated the topic.

"The international community should take into consideration the experiences and contributions both by the developed and developing countries in terms of democracy, the efforts made by the developing countries in particular," he said at the 4th Bali Democracy Forum.

The 2-day forum, under the theme of "Enhancing Democratic Participation in a Changing World: Responding to Democratic Voices" , has drawn participants from more than 80 countries to talk about the development of democracy from various perspectives.

"For China, the fundamental principle is to adhere to the essence of democracy, or the government works for the majority of the people. It is also the biggest advantage of Chinese democracy," he said.

The Communist Party of China and the Chinese government have been able to realize sustainable, rapid economic growth, improve people's lives and enhance national strength, that's why it wins the support of the majority of its citizens, he said.