BEIJING, Dec. 11 -- Consultation between the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) and other political parties is a major form of socialist consultative democracy, an official said on Friday.

The remarks were made by an unidentified official with the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, one day after the CPC released a document on Thursday and promised to give other parties more say in big decisions.

Party consultation is a key part of the system of multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the CPC leadership and a crucial channel for the CPC to boost its governing capacity, the official said.

Party consultation refers to discussions between the CPC and other parties on major CPC and national policies and affairs.

Strengthened party consultation means expanded channels for people from non-Communist parties or without party affiliation to participate in political affairs and express their opinions, which will help bolster political consensus, unite minds and power, and promote scientific and democratic decision-making and modernized governance, said the official.

It is the first time the CPC has specified party consultation's basic connotation, content, procedures as well as the mechanism that safeguards the implementation of the system, according to the official.

According to the document, consultation will be conducted on key documents drafted by the CPC Central Committee, national economic and social development plans, prominent issues in reform and stability, revisions to the Constitution, amendments to key laws, and candidates for state leaders.

Party consultation consists of conferences, face-to-face conversations, written reports and proposals between CPC members and their counterparts from other parties.

Symposia are usually held by the CPC annually to discuss important appointments and removals, or other major Party and national policies and affairs.

As the most important form of party consultation, 71 conferences have been held by the CPC to consult with other parties since the 18th CPC National Congress in late 2012, with 13 meetings presided over by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, according to the official.