Uphold, Improve, and Operate the People’s Congress System Well

Year after year, the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference open their annual sessions. This is the first such session following the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC. The 14th Five-Year Plan is about to conclude, and the 15th Five-Year Plan awaits formulation; there are only ten years left until the basic realization of socialist modernization by 2035. Only by discussing state affairs and building consensus, thereby continuously transforming the institutional advantages of people’s democracy into governance effectiveness, can we mobilize the entire people to participate in modernization with the attitude of masters of the country. When the system is stable, the country is stable; when the system is strong, the country is strong. The People’s Congress system is the fundamental political system of our country, a completely new political system that has grown from China’s soil. The recently published volume by General Secretary Xi Jinping, *On Upholding and Improving the People’s Congress System*, systematically reflects the glorious course in which the CPC has led the Chinese people in establishing and improving the People’s Congress system, profoundly expounds its significant political advantages, systematically summarizes the major achievements in the theoretical and practical innovation of the People’s Congress system in the New Era, and deeply answers a series of major theoretical and practical questions concerning the development of socialist democratic politics with Chinese characteristics. It provides the fundamental guidance for upholding, improving, and operating the People’s Congress system well on the new journey of the New Era.

一年一度，全国两会开幕。这是党的二十届三中全会后第一次全国两会。“十四五”规划即将收官，“十五五”规划正待谋划；距离2035年基本实现社会主义现代化，仅有十年。共商国是、凝聚共识，将人民民主的制度优势不断转化为国家治理效能，才能最广泛地动员全体人民以主人翁姿态投身现代化建设。制度稳则国家稳，制度强则国家强。人民代表大会制度是我国的根本政治制度，是从中国土壤中生长起来的全新政治制度。日前出版的习近平总书记《论坚持和完善人民代表大会制度》，系统反映中国共产党领导中国人民建立、完善人民代表大会制度的光辉历程，深刻阐述人民代表大会制度的显著政治优势，系统总结新时代人民代表大会制度理论和实践创新重大成果，深刻回答了发展中国特色社会主义民主政治的一系列重大理论和实践问题，为新时代新征程坚持好、完善好、运行好人民代表大会制度提供了根本遵循。

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Deeply Understand That the People’s Congress System Is a Great Creation in the History of Human Political Systems, and Strengthen Confidence in the Political System

深刻认识人民代表大会制度是人类政治制度史上的伟大创造，坚定政治制度自信

Among the various systems of a country, the political system occupies a crucial position. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out that to strengthen confidence in the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, we must first strengthen confidence in the political system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The People’s Congress system is the fundamental political system of our country. This thematic collection of writings comprehensively reflects the glorious course, essential characteristics, and significant political advantages of the People’s Congress system. It is of great significance for us to strengthen confidence in the political system and unswervingly follow the path of political development of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

在一个国家的各种制度中，政治制度处于关键环节。习近平总书记指出，坚定中国特色社会主义制度自信，首先要坚定对中国特色社会主义政治制度的自信。人民代表大会制度是我国的根本政治制度。这部专题文集全面反映了人民代表大会制度光辉历程、本质特征和显著政治优势，对于我们坚定政治制度自信，坚定不移走中国特色社会主义政治发展道路，具有重大意义。

The People’s Congress system is the fruit of the CPC leading the Chinese people in arduous exploration and long-term struggle. What kind of political system to establish in China was a historic issue facing the Chinese people after modern times. To solve this historic issue, the Chinese people carried out arduous explorations, tirelessly searching for a model of political system suitable for the national conditions. China experimented with various forms, including constitutional monarchy, imperial restoration, parliamentary system, multi-party system, and presidential system. Various political forces and their representative figures appeared on the stage one after another, but none could accomplish the historic tasks of national salvation and survival, and of opposing imperialism and feudalism. None could stabilize China’s political situation and society, and none could provide institutional guarantees for achieving national prosperity and strength and the people’s happiness.

人民代表大会制度是中国共产党领导中国人民艰辛探索长期奋斗的成果。在中国建立什么样的政治制度，是近代以后中国人民面临的一个历史性课题。为解决这一历史性课题，中国人民进行了艰辛探索，孜孜不倦寻找着适合国情的政治制度模式。中国尝试过君主立宪制、帝制复辟、议会制、多党制、总统制等各种形式，各种政治势力及其代表人物纷纷登场，但都不能完成中华民族救亡图存和反帝反封建的历史任务，都不能让中国的政局和社会稳定下来，也都谈不上为中国实现国家富强、人民幸福提供制度保障。

Since its founding, the CPC has been committed to building a new society where the people are the masters of the country, and has led the people in waging arduous and extraordinary struggles for this purpose. During the period of the New Democratic Revolution, our Party, through practical exploration and theoretical reflection, creatively put forward the concept of implementing the People’s Congress system. The birth of New China laid the premise and created the conditions for the Chinese people to put this concept into practice. In September 1954, the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China, adopted at the First Session of the First National People’s Congress, marked the formal establishment of the People’s Congress system as the fundamental political system of the state. The establishment of the People’s Congress system meant that Chinese politics fundamentally achieved a great leap from a situation where a minority held state power and the vast majority were oppressed and exploited to one where the CPC leads and the people are the masters of the country. This was unprecedented in several thousand years of history and realized a great transformation of China’s political system. Since reform and opening up, our Party has unswervingly advanced the building of socialist democracy and the rule of law, adhered to the path of political development of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and continuously improved our electoral system, the system of state institutions, the system of grassroots democracy, and the organizational system and rules of procedure of the People’s Congresses. The People’s Congress system has radiated new vitality. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, our Party, based on the new historical orientation, has deeply grasped the new changes in the principal contradiction in Chinese society, actively responded to the new demands and expectations of the people for democracy and the rule of law, strived to advance the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity, improved the institutional system for the people being the masters of the country, strengthened the building of grassroots political power, and improved the work of deputies to the People’s Congresses. The work of the People’s Congresses has achieved historic accomplishments, and the People’s Congress system has become more mature and more well-defined.

中国共产党自成立之日起就致力于建设人民当家作主的新社会，并领导人民为之进行艰苦卓绝的斗争。新民主主义革命时期，我们党经过实践探索和理论思考，创造性地提出实行人民代表大会制度的构想。新中国的诞生，为中国人民把这一构想付诸实践奠定了前提、创造了条件。1954年9月，一届全国人大一次会议通过的《中华人民共和国宪法》，标志着人民代表大会制度这一国家根本政治制度正式建立。人民代表大会制度的建立，意味着中国政治从根本上实现了由少数人掌握政权、绝大多数人受压迫被剥削到中国共产党领导、人民当家作主的伟大跨越，这在几千年历史上是从未有过的，实现了中国政治制度的伟大变革。改革开放以来，我们党坚定不移推进社会主义民主法治建设，坚持中国特色社会主义政治发展道路，不断健全我国选举制度、国家机构制度体系、基层民主制度、人大组织制度和议事规则，人民代表大会制度焕发出新的生机活力。党的十八大以来，我们党立足新的历史方位，深刻把握我国社会主要矛盾发生的新变化，积极回应人民群众对民主法治的新要求新期盼，着力推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化，健全人民当家作主制度体系，加强基层政权建设，改进人大代表工作，人大工作取得历史性成就，人民代表大会制度更加成熟、更加定型。

Reviewing history, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly points out that the People’s Congress system has traversed an extraordinary course, has firmly taken root in China’s soil, and has deeply integrated into the great practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics. On the new journey of struggle, we must fully leverage the role of the People’s Congress system as the fundamental political system, and continue to firmly grasp the destiny of the country and the nation in the hands of the people through the People’s Congress system.

回顾历史，习近平总书记深刻指出，人民代表大会制度走过了不平凡的历程，已经牢牢扎根中国大地，深深融入中国特色社会主义伟大实践。在新的奋斗征程上，必须充分发挥人民代表大会制度的根本政治制度作用，继续通过人民代表大会制度牢牢把国家和民族前途命运掌握在人民手中。

The People’s Congress system is rooted in the profound historical and cultural traditions accumulated over more than five thousand years of Chinese civilization. The political system of each country is unique, determined by the people of that country, and is the result of long-term development, gradual improvement, and endogenous evolution based on the country’s historical inheritance, cultural traditions, and economic and social development. Designing and developing a national political system must focus on the organic unity of history and reality, grasp the long-formed historical inheritance, and cannot sever history or imagine suddenly moving a “peak flown in from elsewhere” [1]1 “Peak flown in from elsewhere” (飞来峰) is a classical Chinese allusion, originally from a story about a mountain peak that flew from India to China, used here to criticize the idea of transplanting foreign political systems wholesale without adaptation to local conditions. in the political system. General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly points out that only a system rooted in the country’s own soil and absorbing sufficient nutrients is the most reliable and effective. The establishment of our People’s Congress system was not accidental; it was determined by our country’s historical inheritance and cultural traditions. Over more than five thousand years of history, the Chinese people have created a broad, profound, and splendid Chinese civilization, and have walked out a path of civilizational development different from other countries and nations. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out that the People’s Congress system and the political consultation system are deeply connected with the people-oriented thought of Chinese civilization, the concept of shared governance under heaven, the governing traditions of “republic” and “consultation,” and the political wisdom of “inclusiveness, seeking common ground while reserving differences.” [2]2 “Republic” (共和) and “consultation” (商量) refer to traditional Chinese political concepts of shared governance and deliberative decision-making, respectively, which the author argues are historically embedded in Chinese civilization. It can be said that the People’s Congress system is a product of institutional innovation by the CPC, which, while adhering to the basic principles of the Marxist theory of the state, faithfully inherits and promotes the excellent traditional Chinese culture, and fully utilizes the valuable resources of the excellent traditional Chinese culture. On the new journey of the New Era, upholding and improving the People’s Congress system must still be deeply rooted in China’s social soil and creatively advance based on the actual conditions of our country.

人民代表大会制度植根于中华民族五千多年文明史所积淀的深厚历史文化传统。每个国家的政治制度都是独特的，都是由这个国家的人民决定的，都是在这个国家历史传承、文化传统、经济社会发展的基础上长期发展、渐进改进、内生性演化的结果。设计和发展国家政治制度，必须注重历史和现实的有机统一，把握长期形成的历史传承，不能割断历史，不能想象突然就搬来一座政治制度上的“飞来峰”。习近平总书记深刻指出，只有扎根本国土壤、汲取充沛养分的制度，才最可靠、也最管用。我们建立人民代表大会制度不是偶然的，是我国历史传承和文化传统决定的。在5000多年历史中，中国人民创造了博大精深、璀璨夺目的中华文明，走出了一条不同于其他国家和民族的文明发展道路。习近平总书记指出，人民代表大会制度、政治协商制度，与中华文明的民本思想，天下共治理念，“共和”、“商量”的施政传统，“兼容并包、求同存异”的政治智慧都有深刻关联。可以说，人民代表大会制度是中国共产党在坚持马克思主义国家学说基本原则的前提下，忠实传承和弘扬中华优秀传统文化，充分运用中华优秀传统文化的宝贵资源，进行制度创新的产物。新时代新征程坚持和完善人民代表大会制度还必须深深扎根于中国的社会土壤，从我国的现实条件出发来创造性前进。

The People’s Congress system effectively ensures that our country always advances along the socialist path. Institutional advantage is the greatest advantage of a country, and institutional competition is the most fundamental competition between countries. Over more than 70 years, especially the more than 40 years since reform and opening up, in the course of promoting national development, the people’s well-being, and national rejuvenation, our Party has, through the People’s Congress system, leveraged the functional roles of various state organs, mobilized the people’s initiative, enthusiasm, and creativity, concentrated resources to accomplish major tasks, and continuously overcome difficulties and obstacles on the path forward. This has provided important institutional guarantees for creating the two miracles of rapid economic development and long-term social stability, [3]3 “Two miracles” (两大奇迹) is a standard Party formulation referring to China’s rapid economic growth and sustained social stability since reform and opening up. demonstrating significant political advantages. At the conference celebrating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the National People’s Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly elaborated on five significant political advantages: first, the significant advantage of upholding the leadership of the CPC and ensuring that the Party leads the people in effectively governing the country according to law; second, the significant advantage of practicing whole-process people’s democracy and ensuring that the people are the masters of the country; third, the significant advantage of implementing democratic centralism and ensuring that the country’s political life is both vibrant and stable and orderly; fourth, the significant advantage of ensuring comprehensive law-based governance and realizing the rule of law in all aspects of the country’s work; fifth, the significant advantage of maintaining national unity and ensuring long-term stability and security of the country. These important expositions profoundly reveal why the People’s Congress system works, has vitality, and is efficient, providing a deep historical and theoretical foundation for us to strengthen confidence in the political system.

人民代表大会制度有效保证了我国始终沿着社会主义道路前进。制度优势是一个国家的最大优势，制度竞争是国家间最根本的竞争。70多年来特别是改革开放40多年来，在推动国家发展、人民幸福、民族复兴的历程中，我们党通过人民代表大会制度，发挥各国家机关职能作用，调动人民群众积极性、主动性、创造性，集中力量办大事，不断战胜前进道路上的艰难险阻，为创造经济快速发展和社会长期稳定两大奇迹提供了重要制度保障，展现出显著政治优势。在庆祝全国人民代表大会成立70周年大会上，习近平总书记深刻阐述了5个方面显著政治优势：一是坚持中国共产党领导、保证党领导人民依法有效治理国家的显著优势，二是践行全过程人民民主、保障人民当家作主的显著优势，三是贯彻民主集中制、保证国家政治生活既充满活力又安定有序的显著优势，四是保障全面依法治国、实现国家各方面工作法治化的显著优势，五是维护国家统一、保障国家长治久安的显著优势。这些重要论述深刻揭示了人民代表大会制度为什么行得通、有生命力、有效率，为我们坚定政治制度自信，提供深厚历史和理论根基。

Practice has proven that the people’s congress system is a good system that suits China’s national conditions and reality, embodies the nature of the socialist state, and ensures the people are the masters of the country. It is a good system capable of effectively rallying the strength of the entire people to advance Chinese-path modernization, possessing strong vitality and notable superiority. It must be unwaveringly upheld and developed in step with the times. Studying this thematic collection [4]4 The thematic collection refers to a compilation of Xi Jinping’s speeches and writings on the people’s congress system, published by the Party’s Central Party Literature Press. requires a profound grasp of the historical logic, theoretical logic, and practical logic behind the implementation of the people’s congress system, strengthening confidence and determination in taking the path of socialist political development with Chinese characteristics, and effectively transforming institutional advantages into governance effectiveness.

实践证明，人民代表大会制度是符合我国国情和实际、体现社会主义国家性质、保证人民当家作主的好制度，是能够有效凝聚全体人民力量一道推进中国式现代化的好制度，具有强大生命力和显著优越性，必须毫不动摇坚持、与时俱进发展。学习这部专题文集，就要深刻把握实行人民代表大会制度的历史逻辑、理论逻辑、实践逻辑，增强走中国特色社会主义政治发展道路的信心和决心，切实把制度优势转化为治理效能。

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Deeply comprehend the rich connotation of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important thought on upholding and improving the people’s congress system, and perceive the power of truth.

深刻领会习近平总书记关于坚持和完善人民代表大会制度的重要思想的丰富内涵，感悟真理力量

Engels once said: “A nation that wants to stand at the pinnacle of science cannot for a moment do without theoretical thought.” [5]5 A quotation from Engels’s 1878 work *Anti-Dühring*. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to and comprehensively strengthened the Party’s leadership over the work of people’s congresses, driving major achievements in the theoretical and practical innovation of the people’s congress system, and forming General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important thought on upholding and improving the people’s congress system, which has guided historic achievements in the work of people’s congresses. This thematic collection, guided by General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important thought on upholding and improving the people’s congress system, comprehensively reflects the historical background, developmental context, core essence, rich connotation, and practical requirements of this important thought.

恩格斯说过：“一个民族要想站在科学的最高峰，就一刻也不能没有理论思维。”党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央高度重视、全面加强党对人大工作的领导，推动人民代表大会制度理论与实践创新取得重大成果，形成了习近平总书记关于坚持和完善人民代表大会制度的重要思想，指引人大工作取得历史性成就。这部专题文集以习近平总书记关于坚持和完善人民代表大会制度的重要思想为统领，全面反映了这一重要思想的时代背景、发展脉络、核心要义、丰富内涵和实践要求。

General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important thought on upholding and improving the people’s congress system is a profound summary of the theoretical and practical innovation of the people’s congress system in the New Era, and a valuable outcome of the Two Integrations. [6]6 The Two Integrations refers to the principle of integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of China’s traditional culture. The era is the mother of thought; practice is the source of theory. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, based on a new historical orientation, has comprehensively strengthened the Party’s leadership over the work of people’s congresses, vigorously developed whole-process people’s democracy, actively advanced the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity, further improved the institutional system for the people to be the masters of the country, amended the Constitution in step with the times, convened the first Central Conference on Work of People’s Congresses in the Party’s history, improved the organizational system and working system of people’s congresses, and driven historic achievements in the work of people’s congresses. In the vivid practice of upholding and improving the people’s congress system, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, coordinating the strategic overall plan for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the changes unseen in a century, proceeding from the strategic height of upholding and improving the Party’s leadership and consolidating the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, has insisted on adapting the basic tenets of Marxism to China’s specific realities and to the best of China’s traditional culture, profoundly grasped the laws of socialist democratic political development, systematically summarized the Party’s practical experience in strengthening the construction of socialist democratic politics, continuously promoted theoretical and practical innovation of the people’s congress system, and put forward a series of new concepts, new ideas, and new requirements. In September 2014, at the conference celebrating the 60th anniversary of the founding of the National People’s Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping, focusing on upholding and improving the people’s congress system, put forward the important requirement of “four musts.” [7]7 The “four musts” are: must uphold the leadership of the Party, must ensure the people are the masters of the country, must uphold the rule of law, and must uphold democratic centralism. In October 2021, at the Central Conference on Work of People’s Congresses, General Secretary Xi Jinping explicitly used “six musts” to systematically summarize a series of new concepts, new ideas, and new requirements of the Party Central Committee regarding the people’s congress system since the 18th National Congress. In September 2024, at the conference celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the National People’s Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping systematically expounded the Party’s important thought on upholding and improving the people’s congress system, further proposing “eight musts.” From the “four musts” in 2014, to the “six musts” in 2021, and then to the “eight musts” in 2024, General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important thought on upholding and improving the people’s congress system both adheres to the soul of Marxism, fully embodying the Marxist theory of the state, and adheres to the root of the best of China’s traditional culture, profoundly grasping the connotations of China’s historical heritage and cultural traditions. In its continuous enrichment and development, it increasingly manifests advanced political concepts, distinct Chinese characteristics, and profound cultural foundations, leading and promoting the high-quality development of the work of people’s congresses in the New Era.

习近平总书记关于坚持和完善人民代表大会制度的重要思想是新时代人民代表大会制度理论和实践创新的深刻总结，是“两个结合”的宝贵成果。时代是思想之母，实践是理论之源。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央立足新的历史方位，全面加强党对人大工作的领导，大力发展全过程人民民主，积极推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化，进一步健全人民当家作主制度体系，与时俱进修改宪法，召开党的历史上首次中央人大工作会议，健全人大组织制度和工作制度，推动人大工作取得历史性成就。在坚持和完善人民代表大会制度的生动实践中，以习近平同志为核心的党中央统筹中华民族伟大复兴战略全局和世界百年未有之大变局，从坚持和完善党的领导、巩固中国特色社会主义制度的战略高度出发，坚持把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合，深刻把握社会主义民主政治发展规律，系统总结党加强社会主义民主政治建设的实践经验，持续推进人民代表大会制度理论和实践创新，提出一系列新理念新思想新要求。2014年9月在庆祝全国人民代表大会成立60周年大会上，习近平总书记围绕坚持和完善人民代表大会制度，提出了“四个必须”的重要要求。2021年10月在中央人大工作会议上，习近平总书记明确用“六个必须坚持”，对党的十八大以来党中央关于人民代表大会制度的一系列新理念新思想新要求进行了系统概括。2024年9月在庆祝全国人民代表大会成立70周年大会上，习近平总书记系统阐释了党关于坚持和完善人民代表大会制度的重要思想，进一步提出了“八个必须坚持”。从2014年的“四个必须”，到2021年的“六个必须坚持”，再到2024年的“八个必须坚持”，习近平总书记关于坚持和完善人民代表大会制度的重要思想既坚守马克思主义这个魂脉，充分体现马克思主义国家学说，又坚守中华优秀传统文化这个根脉，深刻把握中国历史传承和文化传统内涵，在不断丰富和发展中更加彰显先进的政治理念、鲜明的中国特色、深厚的文化底蕴，引领和推动了新时代人大工作高质量发展。

General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important thought on upholding and improving the people’s congress system profoundly reveals the general direction, general principles, and general rationale of the work of people’s congresses. This important thought creatively puts forward the major concept of whole-process people’s democracy, emphasizing that the people’s congress system is an important institutional vehicle for realizing whole-process people’s democracy in China. It is necessary to uphold the leadership of the Communist Party of China, to use the institutional system to ensure the people are the masters of the country, to uphold law-based governance in all respects, to uphold democratic centralism, to take the path of socialist political development with Chinese characteristics, to advance the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity, to give full play to the role of deputies to people’s congresses, and to strengthen the construction of people’s congresses at all levels in accordance with the requirements of the “four organs.” [8]8 The “four organs” refers to the requirement that people’s congresses be built as political organs that uphold the Party’s leadership, organs of state power that ensure the people are the masters of the country, working organs that perform their duties according to law, and representative organs that maintain close ties with the masses. This series of closely linked and interconnected new concepts, new ideas, and new requirements profoundly clarifies the highest political principle and fundamental guarantee, fundamental direction, value orientation, basic methods, distinctive features, and key tasks for doing a good job in the work of people’s congresses in the New Era, constituting a scientific system with rigorous logic, rich connotation, comprehensive coverage, and notable advantages. This important thought profoundly answers a series of major theoretical and practical questions concerning the development of socialist democratic politics with Chinese characteristics and the upholding and improvement of the people’s congress system in the New Era. It not only clearly puts forward a series of major concepts and major principles, such as strengthening the Party’s overall leadership over the work of people’s congresses, upholding and developing whole-process people’s democracy, upholding law-based governance in all respects, advancing the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity, and building the “four organs,” clarifying the correct political direction for the work of people’s congresses, but also provides basic guidance for giving full play to the important role of people’s congresses in ensuring the comprehensive and effective implementation of the Constitution and laws, giving full play to the leading role of people’s congresses in legislative work, giving full play to the important role of people’s congress supervision in the Party and state supervision system, giving full play to the leading role of people’s congresses in maintaining close ties with the masses, identifying the positioning and tasks of people’s congresses in comprehensively advancing Chinese-path modernization, and continuously improving the quality and level of the work of people’s congresses. It has greatly enriched and expanded the political connotation, theoretical connotation, and practical connotation of socialist democratic politics with Chinese characteristics and the people’s congress system.

习近平总书记关于坚持和完善人民代表大会制度的重要思想深刻揭示了人大工作的大方向、大原则、大道理。这一重要思想创造性提出全过程人民民主的重大理念，强调人民代表大会制度是实现我国全过程人民民主的重要制度载体，必须坚持中国共产党领导，必须坚持用制度体系保障人民当家作主，必须坚持全面依法治国，必须坚持民主集中制，必须坚持走中国特色社会主义政治发展道路，必须坚持推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化，必须坚持充分发挥人大代表作用，必须坚持按照“四个机关”要求加强各级人大建设。这一系列紧密联系、相互贯通的新理念新思想新要求，深刻阐明做好新时代人大工作的最高政治原则和根本保证、根本方向、价值取向、基本方式、鲜明特点、重点任务，构成了一个逻辑严密、内涵丰富、系统全面、优势显著的科学体系。这一重要思想深刻回答了新时代发展中国特色社会主义民主政治、坚持和完善人民代表大会制度的一系列重大理论和实践问题，既鲜明提出了关于加强党对人大工作的全面领导、坚持和发展全过程人民民主、坚持全面依法治国、推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化、建设“四个机关”等一系列重大理念、重大原则，明确了人大工作正确政治方向，又为充分发挥人大保证全面有效实施宪法法律的重要作用、充分发挥人大在立法工作中的主导作用、充分发挥人大监督在党和国家监督体系中的重要作用、充分发挥人大在密切同人民群众联系中的带头作用，找准人大在全面推进中国式现代化中的定位和任务，不断提高人大工作质量和水平提供了基本遵循，极大丰富和拓展了中国特色社会主义民主政治和人民代表大会制度的政治内涵、理论内涵、实践内涵。

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Deeply grasp that democracy is an important principle to which the Communist Party of China and the Chinese people have always adhered, and continuously strengthen research and publicity.

深刻把握民主是中国共产党和中国人民始终不渝坚持的重要理念，不断加强研究宣传

People’s democracy is the lifeblood of socialism. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has insisted on taking democracy as a basic content of the core socialist values, emphasized that “democracy is a common value of all humanity,” put forward the major concept of whole-process people’s democracy, clearly proposed the criteria for judging democracy of “eight can or cannot” and “four look at, four more look at,” [9]9 The “eight can or cannot” criteria ask whether a country’s political system can ensure orderly succession of leaders, transfer power according to law, ensure majority participation in decision-making, ensure effective exercise of power, ensure social stability, ensure economic development, ensure improvement of living standards, and ensure the people’s will is reflected. The “four look at, four more look at” criteria assess democracy by looking at who is in power, how power is exercised, whether the people have rights, and whether the people benefit. summarized the “five basic viewpoints” [10]10 The “five basic viewpoints” are: people’s democracy is the lifeblood of socialism; the people’s congress system is the fundamental political system; whole-process people’s democracy is the essential feature of socialist democracy; the leadership of the Party is the fundamental guarantee for people’s democracy; and the superiority of the socialist political system must be fully demonstrated. under which our Party has always held high the banner of people’s democracy, upheld and developed people’s democracy, led the Chinese people to achieve great accomplishments in developing people’s democracy, and contributed Chinese wisdom and solutions to enriching world democratic theory and practice. This thematic collection fully reflects these major theoretical and practical innovations, providing scientific guidance for strengthening research and publicity on socialist democracy with Chinese characteristics and the people’s congress system, clearly explaining the characteristics and advantages of China’s democratic political system, and telling China’s democratic story well.

人民民主是社会主义的生命。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央坚持把民主作为社会主义核心价值观的基本内容，强调“民主是全人类的共同价值”，提出全过程人民民主的重大理念，鲜明提出评判民主的“八个能否”“四个要看、四个更要看”标准，概括了我们党始终高举人民民主的旗帜、坚持和发展人民民主的“五个基本观点”，领导中国人民在发展人民民主上取得伟大成就，为丰富世界民主理论和实践贡献了中国智慧和方案。这部专题文集充分反映了这些重大理论和实践创新，为加强对中国特色社会主义民主、对人民代表大会制度的研究宣传工作，讲清楚我国民主政治制度的特点和优势，讲好中国的民主故事，提供了科学指引。

We must understand and clearly explain that democracy is a common value of all humanity, but the ways to realize democracy are diverse. “It is only natural for things to be different.” [11]11 “物之不齐，物之情也” (wù zhī bù qí, wù zhī qíng yě) is a classical Chinese saying from the Mencius, meaning that things are naturally different from one another. The garden of human political civilization is splendid and colorful precisely because different civilizations each have their own merits. Correspondingly, there are multiple ways to realize democracy; it cannot be uniform, cannot be rigidly confined to a single model, and still less can it be said that there is only one standard that applies everywhere. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that using a single yardstick to measure the world’s rich and varied political systems, and viewing humanity’s colorful political civilization with a monotonous perspective, is itself undemocratic. For a long time, the original meaning of democracy has been distorted and perverted, with Western electoral systems such as “one person, one vote” and party competition being packaged as the sole standard for democracy. The real obstacle to the democratic cause of humanity is not differences in democratic models, but rather arrogance, prejudice, and hostility toward other countries’ democratic explorations, and the “self-proclaimed supremacy” that imposes one’s own democratic model on others. Democracy is the right of the people of every country, not a patent of a few states. Whether a country is democratic should be judged by its own people, not by a handful of outsiders pointing fingers. Whether a country in the international community is democratic should be judged by the international community together, not by a self-righteous few. We must deeply study the characteristics and advantages of our country’s democratic political system, clearly explain that Western democracy is not the only model for realizing democracy, and advocate that all civilizations adhere to the principle of equality and non-discrimination, respecting each other’s democratic models.

要弄明白、讲清楚民主是全人类的共同价值，但实现民主的方式是多种多样的。“物之不齐，物之情也。”人类政治文明的百花园之所以绚烂多彩，正是由于不同文明各有千秋。与之相对应，实现民主也有多种方式，不可能千篇一律，不能拘泥于刻板的模式，更不能说只有一种放之四海而皆准的评判标准。习近平总书记指出，用单一的标尺衡量世界丰富多彩的政治制度，用单调的眼光审视人类五彩缤纷的政治文明，本身就是不民主的。长期以来，民主本义被异化歪曲，“一人一票”、政党竞争等西方选举制度被包装成民主的唯一标准。人类民主事业的真正阻碍，不是民主模式的差异，而是对他国民主探索的傲慢、偏见和敌视，是把本国民主模式强加于人的“唯我独尊”。民主是各国人民的权利，而不是少数国家的专利。一个国家是不是民主，应该由这个国家的人民来评判，而不应该由外部少数人指手画脚来评判。国际社会哪个国家是不是民主的，应该由国际社会共同来评判，而不应该由自以为是的少数国家来评判。必须深入研究我国民主政治制度的特点和优势，讲清楚西方民主并非实现民主的唯一模式，倡导各种文明坚持平等非歧视原则，相互尊重彼此的民主模式。

We must understand and clearly explain that democracy is not an ornament, but is meant to solve the problems the people need to solve. Marxism holds that the masses of the people are the creators of history and the main force of social development. Democracy begins with the full expression of the people’s will and is realized through the effective fulfillment of the people’s will. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that whether a country is democratic depends on whether it truly achieves the people being the masters of the country; it depends on whether the people have the right to vote, and even more on whether they have the right to extensive participation; it depends on what verbal promises the people receive during the electoral process, and even more on how many of these promises are fulfilled after the election; it depends on what political procedures and rules are stipulated by the system and laws, and even more on whether these systems and laws are truly implemented; it depends on whether the rules and procedures for the exercise of power are democratic, and even more on whether power is truly subject to the supervision and restraint of the people. We must deeply study the characteristics and advantages of our country’s democratic political system, understand and clearly explain that we adhere to the principle that all state power belongs to the people, ensuring not only that the people conduct democratic elections according to law, but also that they conduct democratic decision-making, democratic management, and democratic supervision according to law, effectively preventing the phenomenon of making lavish promises during elections and being ignored afterward. This is true democracy that can solve the problems the people need to solve.

要弄明白、讲清楚民主不是装饰品，而是要用来解决人民需要解决的问题的。马克思主义认为，人民群众是历史的创造者，是社会发展的主体力量。民主，起始于人民意愿充分表达，落实于人民意愿有效实现。习近平总书记指出，一个国家民主不民主，关键在于是不是真正做到了人民当家作主，要看人民有没有投票权，更要看人民有没有广泛参与权；要看人民在选举过程中得到了什么口头许诺，更要看选举后这些承诺实现了多少；要看制度和法律规定了什么样的政治程序和政治规则，更要看这些制度和法律是不是真正得到了执行；要看权力运行规则和程序是否民主，更要看权力是否真正受到人民监督和制约。必须深入研究我国民主政治制度的特点和优势，弄明白、讲清楚我们坚持国家一切权力属于人民，既保证人民依法实行民主选举，也保证人民依法实行民主决策、民主管理、民主监督，切实防止出现选举时漫天许诺、选举后无人过问的现象，是能够解决人民需要解决的问题的真民主。

We must understand and clearly explain that people’s democracy is a whole-process democracy, which has not only complete institutional procedures but also complete participatory practices. People’s democracy is a glorious banner that the Communist Party of China has always held high. In the long-term practice of realizing the people being the masters of the country, the Party has continuously explored correct institutional mechanisms and methods from the organic unity of history and reality, theory and practice, form and content, and has continuously transformed democratic values and concepts into scientific and effective institutional arrangements and into concrete and realistic democratic practices. In November 2019, during an inspection of the grassroots legislative contact point of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress in Hongqiao Subdistrict, Shanghai, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed that our country’s “people’s democracy is a whole-process democracy.” In July 2021, at the celebration of the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping further emphasized the need to “practice the people-centered development philosophy and develop whole-process people’s democracy.” General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that our country implements the state system of people’s democratic dictatorship led by the working class and based on the alliance of workers and peasants, implements the political system of the people’s congress system, and implements basic political systems such as the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation led by the Communist Party of China, the system of regional ethnic autonomy, and the system of grassroots self-governance, consolidating and developing the broadest patriotic united front, forming a comprehensive, extensive, and organically connected institutional system for the people being the masters of the country, and constructing diverse, smooth, and orderly democratic channels. All the people conduct democratic elections, democratic consultations, democratic decision-making, democratic management, and democratic supervision according to law, and manage state affairs, economic and cultural undertakings, and social affairs through various channels and forms according to law. We must deeply study the characteristics and advantages of our country’s democratic political system, clearly explain that whole-process people’s democracy achieves the unity of procedural democracy and substantive democracy, procedural democracy and substantive democracy, direct democracy and indirect democracy, and people’s democracy and the will of the state; it is a democracy that covers all chains, all aspects, and all areas, and is the broadest, most genuine, and most effective socialist democracy; clearly explain that the people’s congress system is an important institutional vehicle for realizing whole-process people’s democracy in our country, and consciously take the promotion of whole-process people’s democracy construction as an important part of developing socialist democratic politics, running through the entire process and all links of the work of the people’s congresses.

要弄明白、讲清楚人民民主是一种全过程的民主，不仅有完整的制度程序，而且有完整的参与实践。人民民主是中国共产党始终高扬的光辉旗帜。在实现人民当家作主的长期实践中，党不断从历史和现实、理论和实践、形式和内容有机统一中，探索正确的体制机制和方式方法，不断把民主价值和理念转化为科学有效的制度安排，转化为具体现实的民主实践。2019年11月，习近平总书记在上海虹桥街道考察全国人大常委会法工委基层立法联系点时，提出我国的“人民民主是一种全过程的民主”。2021年7月，在庆祝中国共产党成立100周年大会上，习近平总书记进一步强调要“践行以人民为中心的发展思想，发展全过程人民民主”。习近平总书记指出，我国实行工人阶级领导的、以工农联盟为基础的人民民主专政的国体，实行人民代表大会制度的政体，实行中国共产党领导的多党合作和政治协商制度、民族区域自治制度、基层群众自治制度等基本政治制度，巩固和发展最广泛的爱国统一战线，形成了全面、广泛、有机衔接的人民当家作主制度体系，构建了多样、畅通、有序的民主渠道。全体人民依法实行民主选举、民主协商、民主决策、民主管理、民主监督，依法通过各种途径和形式管理国家事务，管理经济和文化事业，管理社会事务。必须深入研究我国民主政治制度的特点和优势，讲清楚全过程人民民主实现了过程民主和成果民主、程序民主和实质民主、直接民主和间接民主、人民民主和国家意志相统一，是全链条、全方位、全覆盖的民主，是最广泛、最真实、最管用的社会主义民主；讲清楚人民代表大会制度是实现我国全过程人民民主的重要制度载体，自觉把推进全过程人民民主建设作为发展社会主义民主政治的重要内容，贯穿到人大工作全过程各环节。

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心