BEIJING: Without any research and without learning much about the democratic systems in socialist republics, and above all, without realizing how much development China has accomplished under its concept of democracy, the West, particularly the United States, has constantly tried to impose its own values on China and feels that they are the sole criteria for democracy on planet Earth.
It is a fact that people cannot thrive under a system of which they do not approve, or a system that feels unsuitable for them. They can by no means feel happy or satisfied and it would become impossible for them to deliver even 10 percent of what the Chinese nation has achieved over the past decades.
China’s view on democracy has been the subject of much debate in the international community. Some have very ignorantly criticized China’s approach to governance, arguing that it stifles political freedom and human rights. However, China’s perspective on democracy is more nuanced than this simplistic view suggests, and there are many positive aspects to their approach that could benefit other developing countries.
China has a long history of being subjected to external interference, ranging from the opium wars in the middle of the 19th century to the Japanese invasion in the first half of the 20th century. The country has developed a strong belief in the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries.
For China, democracy is seen as a political system that should be chosen by each country based on its own unique cultural, social and historical circumstances. It emphasizes the importance of respecting sovereignty and independence of each country, allowing them to develop their own political systems and institutions at their own pace.
–The Daily Mail-Beijing Review news exchange item
