Beijing: A senior official of the Communist Party of China on Thursday dismissed concerns that China is challenging the political system in the West, and said that the nation never seeks to export its ideology, values or development model.
Washington’s defining of its relations with Beijing as a rivalry between two systems is “untenable, wrong and harmful” and will ultimately result in a division and even confrontation in the international community, said Liu Jianchao, deputy director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee.
Liu made the remarks at a news conference organized by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee on the release of a key publication entitled “The CPC: Its Mission and Contributions”. The document stressed that the CPC is a political party that seeks happiness for the people and progress for humanity, and “achieving national rejuvenation is the historic mission of the CPC”.
In response to a question about US claims that the CPC is the biggest threat to Western-style democracy, Liu said: “Does this mean that the US lacks confidence in its democracy? Or has it seen its flaws, and these flaws have also been witnessed by the whole world? What is there for the US to worry about if its democratic system is good and supported by the people?”
He stressed that there should not be only one formula or model of democracy in the world. “A country’s democratic system should be based on its reality, historical and cultural traditions as well as its people’s will. It is against the principle of democracy that one country wants to impose its democratic model on others.”
The CPC’s leadership and the socialist system in China, including the country’s democratic system, are historical choices made by the Chinese people, he added.
“The Chinese people work for, benefit from and safeguard socialism with Chinese characteristics. The people highly identify with and support our democracy, and have full confidence in our own system,” Liu said.
Liu rejected the unfounded claim that China is playing a dominant role in the international community and international affairs, saying that the country gives due respect to people of other countries in pursuing development paths suited to their own national conditions based on their specific circumstances and sovereign rights.
China supports countries with different civilizations, systems and religions in carrying out exchanges and mutual learning based on equality and mutual respect, he said, adding that it is also willing to share its development experience and learn from other countries.
Liu also reiterated China’s commitment to upholding true multilateralism for win-win cooperation and safeguarding the international system with the United Nations at the core and the international order underpinned by international law.
The so-called “rules-based international order”, advocated by a small number of countries, is based on military alliances and is ideologically oriented, with these “rules” formulated by themselves, Liu said, adding that this “order” aims to enable the minority of countries to dominate the world while excluding developing countries from the international system and global governance.
– The Daily Mail-China Daily News exchange item
