How China's whole-process people's democracy works at grassroots level

Editor's note: China will hold its annual Two Sessions in early March. Ahead of this year's key political meetings, CGTN presents a special series, China Agenda, offering multi-angle insights into China's whole-process people's democracy, its socio-economic achievements, and the development vision outlined in the 15th Five-Year Plan.

In Hongtang subdistrict in Ningbo City, east China's Zhejiang Province, residents, deputies to people's congresses and local business owners often gather together for what they call a "night chat." Through candid discussions on solutions to issues such as fire safety in unattended venues and parking disputes, the event serves as a vital platform for addressing the actual needs and concerns of the people.

Over the past eight years, more than 900 sessions have been held, resolving over 5,000 practical issues concerning people's livelihoods. With more than 2,600 deputies participating in the event, democratic consultation has become an integral part of daily life and work.

Democracy is a universal value, yet it takes different forms across civilizations. While Western democracies often equate democracy with elections, China has developed a distinct model – whole-process people's democracy – tailored to its national conditions and historical traditions.

As the name suggests, whole-process people's democracy ensures public participation throughout the entire process of governance, covering all aspects of the democratic process and all sectors of society. This approach fosters broad and continuous participation, ensuring that governance decisions reflect the collective will and evolving needs of society.

Extensive participation

China's whole-process people's democracy integrates democratic practices at all government levels and policymaking stages – election, consultation, decision-making, implementation and oversight.

It is embodied in the 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).

Thousands of NPC deputies and CPPCC National Committee members convene in Beijing to deliberate on and discuss major policies and governance matters, representing a broad cross-section of society.

Over the past decade, innovation and creativity in grassroots democracy across urban and rural areas nationwide are more active than ever before, unleashing great vitality of grassroots democracy. From "courtyard meeting halls" and "bench meetings" to offline "roundtable meetings" and online "deliberation groups," these pragmatic practices of democracy based on local characteristics have injected a steady stream of impetus into the development of China's democracy.

For example, in Beijing's Dongcheng District, the "courtyard meeting hall" in Caochang Community has become a regular venue for residents to deliberate on renovation projects, elderly care services and public space management, and encouraged residents to actively participate in community building and governance.

Another important institutional innovation is the establishment of local legislative outreach offices. The mechanism has ensured the direct representation of public opinions in lawmaking, a highlight of China's whole-process people's democracy.

As of August 2025, the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee had established 54 outreach offices across the country, and there were more than 7,800 such offices established by provincial or municipal legislatures. More than 58,000 opinions were solicited on 207 draft laws, legislative plans and filing review work, of which more than 3,500 were studied and adopted.

A different emphasis in democratic practice

For decades, the principles of the so-called "one person, one vote" and party competition underlying the Western electoral system have often been touted as the sole criterion for democracy, despite the fact that a few powerful interest groups often control the political system, and money plays a pivotal role in Western politics. 

Western scholars and policymakers frequently critique non-Western systems as inferior or illegitimate, often without fully understanding the historical, cultural and societal contexts that shape them. The Western narrative often insists on the superiority of liberal democracy, highlighting individual freedom as an important measure of a successful political system.

Unlike election-centric Western democratic models, China's system is rooted in the country's unique cultural, historical and societal context, emphasizing social harmony and collective well-being. In contrast to Western individualism, China's approach focuses on the common good.

"I think China's concept of whole-process people's democracy presents a different model of governance compared to Western liberal democracy. It is outcome-driven, which means that its legitimacy is measured by improvements in people's livelihoods," said Naing Swe Oo, senior advisory board member of Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies.

As people around the world shed their idealized perceptions of the Western "beacon of democracy," China's whole-process people's democracy – along with a comprehensive, authentic and open set of criteria for evaluating democracy grounded in successful practice – has enriched democratic theory and practice, and made significant contributions to global peace, development and the progress of human civilization.

Unlike some Western systems where political rivalry leads to stalemate, discussions and deliberations at China's annual Two Sessions demonstrate that different voices are heard and respected, and consensus is built through consultation, according to an article in Brazilian magazine Revista Forum.