Editor's Note:China's national two sessions, the annual meetings of China's top legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC), and the top political advisory body, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), convened in Beijing this week. As a key political event shaping the country's policy direction, the annual legislative sessions provide a prime opportunity for observers to gain a unique vantage point to witness the country's democracy in action.
Democracy is a common value for all humanity and an important principle that the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese people steadfastly uphold. In a country with about one-fifth of the world's population, people actively participate in democratic practices, ranging from state legislation to local matters.
In China, scenarios of democracy manifest in diverse ways. However, some Western media outlets misunderstand Chinese democracy, making absurd claims while disregarding the facts. For example, some said that only "one person, one vote" constitutes democracy, while others accused Chinese democracy of lacking freedom of speech and being low in participation.
But is this really the case? To dispel this misinformation or disinformation by some Western media outlets with ulterior motives, the Global Times is launching a series of stories to share with international readers what Chinese democracy is and why such claims are wrong. This is the final installment.
Zoon Ahmed Khan visits the Standing Committee of Beijing Municipal People's Congress in 2023. Photo: Courtesy of Khan
China's annual sessions of its top legislature and political advisory body, known as the national two sessions, have respectively kicked off in Beijing since Wednesday and Tuesday. Thousands of Chinese lawmakers and political advisers gathered in the capital to discuss topics of national concern, and to hear the government's annual work report and development plan for the coming year.
The two sessions are an important window for foreigners to observe the development and the implementation of the whole-process people's democracy of China. During the event, foreign journalists, politicians and experts are laser-focused on Beijing to glean "first-hand signals" about China's development.
But is there more foreigners can do to participate in China's two sessions than just reporting and observing? Are there opportunities for foreigners to attend China's democratic activities at a broader scale? Are there channels for foreigners to express their suggestions and opinions to Chinese lawmakers and affect the policy-making process?
The concept of whole-process people's democracy was first put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping during an inspection tour of Shanghai in 2019. Xi called whole-process people's democracy "the defining feature of socialist democracy," and said it is democracy "in its broadest, most genuine, and most effective form," the Xinhua News Agency reported.
In practice, to guarantee the broadest participation in the whole-process people's democracy, the country has taken diverse efforts to make sure that not only the country's own people benefit from the model, but foreigners living in the country can also have a profound experience and understanding of it.
The national two sessions provide a good showcase of this participation.
Foreign guests attend the local two sessions of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uyhur Autonomous Region on January 29, 2024, in Urumqi. Photo: VCG
Important guests
On Monday, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top political advisory body, held a press conference in Beijing, one day before its annual session opened. At the press conference, Liu Jieyi, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee, announced that foreign diplomats are invited to attend the opening and the closing meetings of the session.
Many people may not know that it is tradition for diplomatic envoys in China to be invited to the opening and closing meetings of the two sessions. They are on site to learn about the world's second-largest economy's achievements over the past year and hear about its development targets for the upcoming year.
Turkish Ambassador to China, Ismail Hakki Musa, is one of the guests invited to this year's two sessions, the second time he has received this invitation, the Legal Daily reported on Monday.
At a press briefing in Beijing on February 25, Musa said that the two sessions are one of China's most important political agendas, and their decisions not only influence the future development direction of China, but also have a profound impact on the global economic landscape, according to the report.
He noted that in 2024, he witnessed the formulation of significant decisions in China, such as clarifying the focus of economic reforms and policies related to optimizing the business environment. This year, he will continue to pay attention to key issues at the two sessions, such as further opening up the market and sharing China's democratic experiences, said the report.
Foreign diplomats, experts and residents are also popular guests at local-level two sessions across China.
In January, during Shanghai's two sessions, foreign guests, including envoys from consulates in Shanghai and representatives of winners of the Shanghai Magnolia Memorial Award winners - an award to recognize contributions made by expatriates in Shanghai - were among those who listened to the 2025 Shanghai government's work report on-site.
"It is very nice that China offers this opportunity for the consular corp to attend this meeting. It is a very interesting model of consultative democracy. [It is] very interesting to learn from the Chinese experiences," Ambassador Augusto Pestana, Consul General of Brazil in Shanghai, told Xinhua.
Foreigners' voices matter
A living democracy
Outside the periods of national and local two sessions, diverse opportunities are offered to allow expats to have a close-up view of China's democratic system and to encourage them to participate in the country's daily democratic consultation and decision-making processes.
Zoon Ahmed Khan, a Pakistani researcher and journalist based in Beijing since 2015, shared with the Global Times her experience of visiting the institutes of the Standing Committee of Beijing Municipal People's Congress and her impressions of China's democratic system after the visit.
During the visit, she learned that foreigners can make suggestions to the Beijing government through several channels, such as directly contacting and communicating with representatives, calling the 12345 citizen hotline, which offers support in eight languages, or leaving messages through the hotline's WeChat program.
Khan emphasized that China's democratic system focuses on dialogue, results, accountability and grassroots participation, which she calls it as a "living democracy."
"Every year, during the two sessions, the central government would review what was accomplished in the previous year. This kind of accountability does not exist in the conventional idea of democracy," she said.
According to Khan's observation, she also noted that those who are making decisions in China's democratic process are professionals in their arenas and people from all careers can become legislators or political advisers at different levels.
"For example, the lawyers, university professors, bus drivers, and other individuals I have interviewed are representatives of local legislatures and advisory bodies. They are well-acquainted with the on-the-ground situation and can directly convey the real needs of the people to the authorities," she said, believing this approach will ensure that both the processes and outcomes of China's democracy are people-centered.
"In many Western democracies, there is a facade of being for the people, but in reality, people experience real hardships," she said. "In China, there is a deep focus on tangible improvements in people's lives. Government officials in local communities are responsible for bringing sensible improvements through not only their expertise but also by engaging with the people, and this is a significant difference," she noted.
Some Western media have criticized China's democratic process for its low efficiency and limited participation. The innovative and diverse channels for foreigners to observe, attend and even contribute to China's democratic management serve as a loud riposte to these groundless accusations.
In Shanghai's downtown Hongkou district, for instance, the district government invited some foreign residents in August 2024 to serve as "government affairs observers," the Global Times learned from the Hongkou district government.
These observers are encouraged to compile issues and areas for improvement that they and those around them encounter in their daily lives and work in Shanghai, and to provide suggestions on local policies to the district government, the official told the Global Times.
For the more than 9,600 foreign residents in the Huacao International Community in Minhang district, Shanghai, the Huacao Expats' Conference that takes place every month is the most direct opportunity for them to communicate with local community officials and express their needs, suggestions and opinions to local management.
So far, 27 such conferences have been held, addressing over 60 issues such as traffic signals, noise disturbances and the standardization of garbage classification. Among these, suggestions made by foreign residents have also been adopted during the legislative process of Shanghai municipality's health promotion regulations, which were adopted at the 6th Session of the Standing Committee of the 16th Shanghai Municipal People's Congress on September 26, 2023, the Global Times learned from Huacao International Community management office.
Photo: Courtesy of Huacao International Community Center
'Everyone has a space to contribute'Nico Hansen, 65, a retired police officer from Luxembourg, also has a deep experience of China's democratic management system's high efficiency.
After Hansen retired early due to injury, he began to travel around the world and finally settled in Yizhou district, Hechi city in South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
In March 2018, Hansen volunteered to become a special assistant of Xie Wanju, then Party chief of Zhadong village, to help impoverished households plant passion fruit.
In the following three years, Hansen assisted Xie to help villagers to build roads, plant passion fruit and raise cattle. He was referred to by the villagers as the "foreign assistant."
In November 2020, the Zhadong village finally shed its label as a poverty-stricken village. Hansen felt happy from the bottom of his heart.
"What happens in these three years is what happens in other countries in 20 years," Hansen told Xinhua.
In 2023, Xie was transferred to Lianhua village in Hechi. Hansen followed Xie to the Lianhua village to continue his career as a "foreign assistant."
"The countryside in China is the best place I have ever been to in the world. When I see the villagers happy, I feel the same happiness," Hansen said.
After living in China for so many years, working as a researcher and journalist, Khan has been able to visit many rural villages, urban communities and legislative bodies. This allows her to gain detailed insights into China's democratic management system and witness significant developments in the system.
"One of the things I can say about China's democratic practice is that it focuses on results," she said.
"We [foreigners] are here [in China] because we see opportunity, progress and a welcoming environment," she said. "We have also been involved in visiting different areas of the country and having our suggestions on improvements heard by the governments."
"Everyone who lives here has a space to contribute, regardless of their background or age," she stressed.
Foreigners' voices matter
