CICG president attends int'l forum on democracy

Du Zhanyuan, president of China International Communications Group (CICG), delivered a speech at the third "International Forum on Democracy: The Shared Human Values" held in Beijing on Wednesday. He shared with over 200 guests his observations on democracy and CICG's efforts in promoting cultural exchange.

Du Zhanyuan, president of China International Communications Group (CICG), delivers a speech at the third "International Forum on Democracy: The Shared Human Values" in Beijing on March 20, 2024. [Photo/CICG]

In his speech, Du emphasized the varied challenges nations face on their democratic paths, noting, "Developing nations are wrestling with basic development needs, whereas advanced developed countries are not immune to issues like party conflicts and political polarization."

Underlining the uniqueness of each country's journey toward democracy, Du spoke against a one-size-fits-all approach, and advocated for adaptations to local contexts to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of democratic practices. His stance is supported by a survey conducted by the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies under CICG, which revealed broad international support for nations tailoring their democratic and modernization processes to fit their specific conditions, as evidenced by responses from participants across 23 countries on five continents.

Reflecting on China's own democratic evolution, Du outlined the country's century-long journey to establish a form of democracy resonant with its culture and societal needs. He cited the recently concluded "two sessions" as an example of China's consultative democracy, where the diverse composition of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) serves as a testament to China's commitment to inclusivity and public engagement in governance. The effective processing of all 4,525 proposals from CPPCC members submitted during the 2023 "two sessions" underscores the government's serious consideration of public input, he said. 

On behalf of CICG, Du said the organization has been committed to promoting exchange and mutual learning between China and the rest of the world. He said CICG will work with international partners to facilitate dialogue in governance and democratic practices worldwide.