Xi Jinping’s Speeches On Socialist Democracy and the System of People’s Congresses

These are excerpts from Xi Jinping’s statements on upholding and improving the system of people’s congresses and ensuring that the people run the country between December 2012 and June 2023.

I

We must uphold the idea set forth in the Constitution that all power in the country belongs to the people. We must extensively mobilize and organize the people to exercise state power through people’s congresses at all levels and manage state and social affairs and economic and cultural programs through various channels and in various ways in accordance with the Constitution and law; work together to build the country, develop the economy and achieve shared prosperity; and become the masters of the country, society and their own destiny. On the basis of the principle of democratic centralism, the system of state power and the standards of action defined in the Constitution, we should have people’s congresses exercise state power in a unified way; ensure that there is both an appropriate division of labor and mutual coordination between decision-making, executive and oversight powers; ensure that state organs exercise their powers and perform their duties in accordance with statutory mandates and procedures; and ensure that they organize all their programs in a unified and effective manner.

—Excerpt from a speech at the meeting of the people from all walks of life in Beijing to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the enactment of the current Constitution (December 4, 2012) 

II

Sixty years ago, the founders of the People’s Republic of China, together with more than 1,200 deputies elected to the National People’s Congress (NPC), convened the First Session of the First NPC, and adopted the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China, thus establishing our country’s fundamental political system—the system of people’s congresses. This was an epoch-making event in the political history of both China and the world, as China, a country with more than 5,000 years of history and a population numbering in the hundreds of millions, established a new type of political system in which the people run the country.

—Excerpt from a speech at the meeting marking the 60th anniversary of the National People’s Congress (September 5, 2014)

III

China’s implementation of the system of people’s congresses represents a monumental innovation in the history of human political institutions, which has been made by the Chinese people. It reflects all the painful lessons drawn from China’s political life since modern times began. It is the result of Chinese society’s dramatic transformation and development over more than a century, and the inevitable choice made by the Chinese people who had finally become masters of the country and taken control of their own destiny.

—Excerpt from a speech at the meeting marking the 60th anniversary of the National People’s Congress (September 5, 2014)

IV

The key to the people’s congress system’s strong vitality and marked advantages is that it is deeply rooted in the people. The name of our country and the names of our state organs at all levels start with “the people,” which indicates the basic orientation of China’s socialist government. The more than 2.6 million deputies to people’s congresses at various levels must faithfully represent the interests and will of the people, and participate in the exercise of state power according to law. State organs at all levels and their employees, regardless of their function, are ultimately working in service of the people. We must ensure that this basic orientation never wavers or weakens.

—Excerpt from a speech at the meeting marking the 60th anniversary of the National People’s Congress (September 5, 2014)

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