Chinese spokesperson criticizes American democracy ahead of annual "two sessions"

A press conference of the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held in Beijing, capital of China, March 3, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese spokesperson on Thursday criticized the American democracy, saying that the United States uses democracy as a pretext to serve its own interests.

Guo Weimin, spokesperson for the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top political advisory body, made the remarks at a press conference.

China will kick off this week the annual sessions of the CPPCC National Committee and the National People's Congress, the top legislature.

The purposes for the United States to convene the so-called "Summit for Democracy" are to suppress others, divide the world while maintaining its hegemony, Guo said while answering a question about whether China and the United States are vying for a greater say in democracy.

"Democracy is diverse in its forms, and is not a patent held by a few countries," the spokesperson said. "The democratic systems of countries should be chosen independently by their own peoples based on national conditions."

Guo criticized some Western countries for imposing their democratic systems on other countries through "color revolutions," which have caused serious disasters.

He also hailed China's "whole-process people's democracy" and the roles the CPPCC has played in facilitating scientific and democratic decision-making through consultation, oversight, participation, and cooperation.