People have final say in appraising performance of their democracy: CPC official

BEIJING, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- A senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official said on Saturday that "practice speaks for itself" and "people have the final say in judging the performance of the democracy of their country."

Tian Peiyan, deputy head of the CPC Central Committee Policy Research Office, made the comments when asked to compare Chinese democracy with that of the United States at a press conference.

In American democracy, politicians stand as representatives of various interest groups, rather than represent the interests of the majority of voters and the interests of the country as a whole, Tian noted.

They make random promises in an attempt to win the election, but rarely deliver on their commitments after being elected, he added.

Ostensibly supervised by the voters, American politicians can act out of public oversight as they wish once being elected, the official said, adding that voters can do nothing but wait for the next election.

The people are awakened at election time but then return to their "hibernation" after the votes are counted. "Chinese people don't like, nor need such democracy," Tian said.

Led by the CPC, Chinese democracy features whole-process people's democracy. It ensures that officials at all levels are under the oversight of the Party and the people. The supervision covers the whole process and all aspects of their tenure, Tian said.

Chinese democracy also ensures that public power, which is entrusted by the people, is and will always be exercised for the public good, he added.

No matter how senior one's post ranks, he or she must be subject to punishment for any violation of the laws or Party discipline. "No one is exempted," Tian stressed.

Chinese lawmakers work diligently to help solve problems that are of great concern to the people, Tian said, adding that they are always open to the supervision of the public.

For Chinese lawmakers who fail to perform their duties and those who violate the law or discipline, it is not necessary to wait for the next election to disqualify or dismiss them, said Tian.

A total of 10 deputies to the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, have been removed from office since the inauguration of the 13th NPC in 2018.

According to a Harvard University report based on a survey in China spanning 13 years, the Chinese people's overall satisfaction toward the government exceeds 93 percent.

"I think people will have a fair judgment on whether Chinese or American democracy works better," said Tian.