China’s socialist democracy is the broadest, most genuine, and most effective democracy to safeguard the fundamental interests of the people, said General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Xi Jinping on Wednesday.

Xi made the remarks at the opening session of the 19th CPC National Congress while delivering a work report titled “Secure a Decisive Victory in Building a Moderately Prosperous Society in All Respects and Strive for the Great Success of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.”

“Party leadership is the fundamental guarantee for ensuring that the people run the country and governance in China is law-based; that the people run the country is an essential feature of socialist democracy; and law-based governance is the basic way for the Party to lead the people in governing the country,” Xi stressed, adding that these three elements are integral components of socialist democracy.

“The essence of the people’s democracy is that the people get to discuss their own affairs, and consultative democracy is an important way of effecting Party leadership and a model and strength unique to China’s socialist democracy,” Xi emphasized.