China published on Thursday the country's first ever white paper on its basic political system, elaborating the origin, major characteristics and basic principles of the system, saying that the system is an inevitable choice for China's social development.

The white paper introduced and expounded upon the development history of China's political party system and the important role it plays in China's social and economic development. "The white paper will help the international community learn the historical background, features, advantages, values and functions of the system," said Zhuang Congsheng, spokesman of the United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), in an interview with China.org.cn.

China's political party system, simply stated, defines the CPC as the ruling party with eight other democratic parties also involved in state affairs. Multiparty cooperation and political consultation takes place under the leadership of the CPC.

Zhuang said that the political party system a country adopts is independent of man's will and determined by the conditions and the social development of that given country. China is no exception. China introduced a parliamentary and multi-party system in imitation of Western countries after the victorious Revolution in 1911. After that the Kuomintang headed by Chiang Kai-shek exercised a one-party dictatorship and monopolized all state power between 1927 and 1949, but it inevitably failed. History has proven that the multi-party cooperation system has unique political advantages and strong vitality, works well and plays an irreplaceable role in China's political and social life.

Democratic parties are neither parties out of office nor opposition parties. They are parties fully participating in the political life of the nation. They agree with the CPC's fundamental theory, line, program and experience and share the same goal of building socialism with Chinese characteristics, Zhuang said.

The CPC has consistently stressed cooperation with the democratic parties and continued to push forward theoretical innovation and development in practical work regarding multi-party cooperation. President Hu Jintao said in his keynote speech to the 17th CPC National Congress: "We will strengthen our cooperation with the democratic parties, support them and personages without party affiliation in better performing their functions of participation in the deliberation and administration of state affairs and democratic oversight, and select and recommend a greater number of outstanding non-CPC persons for leading positions."

The white paper states that by the end of 2006, 31,000 democratic party members and personages without party affiliation took government official posts at above the county level.

Wan Gang and Chen Zhu, now minister of science and technology and minister of health, have been the first non-Communist cabinet appointments since the late 1970s when China launched its economic reform and opening up.

Political observers have said that to appoint non-CPC member cabinet minister is an important move towards implementing and improving the system of multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC.

Zhuang said that no special political requirements are required for democratic party members and personages without party affiliation to be appointed top officials. The system provides a very good platform for political participation and discussion, thus allowing it to draw upon a diverse range of talents to help the government in policy-making.

(China.org.cn by staff reporter Zhang Yunxing November 16, 2007)