CHINESE POLITICAL PARTIES, ELECTORAL SYSTEM AND POLITICAL PARTIES

POLITICAL PARTIES, ELECTORAL SYSTEM AND PROCESSE POLITICAL PARTIES

The People's Republic of China (PRC) is basically a one-party state, having the Communist Party of China (CPC) as the only party in control of the central government. The political party system China has adopted is multi-party co-operation and political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, of which the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is an important institution to conduct political consultations and democratic supervision, and organize its member parties, organizations and personages from various ethnic groups and walks of life to discuss and manage state affairs. This system is different from both the two-party or multi-party competition systems of Western countries and the one-party system practiced in some other countries.
Under China's multi-party co-operation system, there are the CPC and eight other political parties. The eight democratic parties are:
•Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang,
•China Democratic League
•China National Democratic Construction Association,
•China Association for Promoting Democracy,
•Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party,
•China Zhi Gong Dang,
•Jiu San Society and
•Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League.
Based on the principle of "long-term co-existence, mutual supervision, treating each other with sincerity and sharing each other's weal and woe," the democratic parties of China are different from the ruling party and the opposition party. They are under the leadership of the Communist Party, and devote themselves to the socialist construction.
This system was established and has been developed during the long-term practice of the Chinese revolution, construction and reform. It is a basic political system that suits the conditions of China. It is a socialist political party system with Chinese characteristics, and a key component of China's socialist democratic politics.
According to the Chinese Constitution, "The People's Republic of China is a socialist state under the people's democratic dictatorship led by the working class and based on the alliance of workers and peasants." The government system that accords with such a form of state is the system of people's congresses, and the political party system that accords with it is that of multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC. The systems of people's congresses, multi-party cooperation, regional ethnic autonomy, and self-governance at the primary level of society together constitute the kernel and fundamental framework of China's political system, and are the embodiment of socialist democracy.
Features and Merits of China's Political Party System
One major feature of China's socialist democracy is the combination of democratic election and democratic consultation. In China, the people's congress system and the multi-party cooperation system under the leadership of the CPC supplement each other. That the people exercise their democratic rights through election and voting and that consultation is conducted among people of all walks of life to achieve consensus as much as possible before any significant decisions are made are two important ways to realize socialist democracy. The combination of democratic election and democratic consultation has extended the width and dept of socialist democracy. Full political consultation both takes into account the opinions of the majority and shows respect to the reasonable requirements of the minority, thus guaranteeing democracy of the widest scope and promoting the harmonious development of society.
ELECTORAL SYSTEM AND PROCESSES
The electoral system and processes of the PRC are very diverse and complicated. They cut across all levels of political administration in the country, even down to the village level. China is a democratic republic in its own right, in the sense that all qualified citizens take part in the electoral process. The system makes use of direct and indirect elections, and the simple majority system, as well as secret voting method.
The electoral system and processes have no conventional electoral body. Elections from the village to national level are conducted and overseen by committees constituted for such purpose. The government has a strict system of electoral laws for the punishment of violations.
Qualifications for Participation
All citizens of the People’s Republic of China who have reached the age of 18 have the right to vote and stand for election, regardless of ethnic status, race, sex, occupation, family background, religious belief, education, property status or length of residence.
Those who have been convicted to prison terms, are serving short-term forced labour under detention or have been put under surveillance, but have not been stripped of their political rights; those who are in custody, under investigation, being charged and tried but the procuratorate or the court has not decided to suspend their rights of election; those who are on bail, or in residences under surveillance; those who are being re-educated through labour and those who have been punished with detention have the right to vote and stand for election.
Indirect Right to Vote and Stand for Election
In general local elections, deputies to the people’s congresses at various levels have the right to vote, but those who have the right to stand for election are not restricted to deputies of the people’s congress of the same level.
In the election of deputies in the armed force units equivalent to above the county level, deputies to army men congresses of the same level have the right to vote but those who have the right to stand for election are not restricted to deputies of the army men congresses of the same level.
In the election of deputies in special administration regions, members of electoral meetings have the right to vote but those who have the right to stand for election are not restricted to members of electoral meetings.
The election of deputies among Taiwan compatriots is conducted by consultation of the organizations of standing committees of people’s congresses of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government. Those who have the right to vote are those chosen by the consultations but people who have the right to stand for election are not restricted to those chosen by the consultations.
Suspension of the Right to Vote and Stand for Election
During direct elections, those who are under custody, being investigated, charged or tried because of endangering national security or other serious criminal activities are suspended of their right to vote and stand for election during the period of custody, upon decision of the procuratorate or the court. Also, those who are stripped of their political rights according to law do not have the right to vote or stand for election.
Registration of Voters
The registration of voters is a legal recognition of the voter. Citizens must register according to law and after verification of their qualifications, they are entered into lists of voters for publicity, before they become voters.
The registration of voters is presided over by the election committee and carried out in constituencies. Before each election, those who have reached the age of 18 and those who have regained their political rights since the last election shall be registered. Voters who have moved their residence out of their original constituencies after registration shall be entered in the list of voters in the constituencies they have newly moved into. Names of voters who have died or been stripped of their political rights shall be struck out of the lists of voters. Once recognized upon registration, the qualifications of voters remain valid. No one may take actions in whatever form at any time to investigate the electoral conduct of the voters.
Secret Voting and Competitive Election
The methods of voting adopted in the PRC are secret ballot and competitive election. Election of deputies to people’s congresses at all levels adopts the competitive election method.
Direct Election
Direct election means voters directly elect deputies to the people’s congresses by casting their votes. Direct elections are applicable to the election of deputies to the people’s congresses of the counties, districts, townships and towns.
Indirect Election
Indirect election means deputies to the people’s congresses at the next higher level are elected by deputies to the people’s congresses at the next lower level. It is applicable to the election of deputies to people’s congresses above the county level and deputies among the armed forces at the same level and deputies to the NPC elected from special administrative regions.

Simple Majority System
A candidate wins the election when he or she receives more than half of the votes cast. When the number of candidates receiving more than half of the votes cast exceeds the number of deputies to be elected, the candidate with the greater number of votes wins the election.
When more than one candidate receives the same amount of votes, they shall stand for another voting and the one with more votes wins the election. However, if the number of candidates receiving more than half of the votes is below the number of deputies to be elected, another election shall be held to fill the vacancy.
The list of elected deputies is drawn according to the legally prescribed competitive election principle in light of the number of votes they receive during the first election. During by-elections, those with more votes win but the votes they receive shall not be less than one-third of the total votes cast.
Punishment of Violations
Administrative or criminal penalties shall be meted out to those who disrupt election, prevent voters and deputies from making free use of the rights to vote and stand for election by means of violence, intimidation, cheating and bribery; those who fabricate election documents, make false reports on votes or commit other behaviors in violation of the law; those who suppress or retaliate people who report on or expose those whose conduct during the election violates the law or people who propose the removal of deputies.