China Touts 'People's Democracy' and Growth
Ahead of its annual "Two Sessions" political meetings, Chinese state media is heavily promoting the concept of "whole-process people's democracy" at the grassroots level. The messaging claims the model protects citizens' rights while also touting robust domestic growth drivers as key to its new five-year plan.
The "Two Sessions" are the annual plenary meetings of China's top legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC), and its top political advisory body, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). These gatherings bring thousands of delegates to Beijing to ratify laws, approve budgets, and set national policy direction. This year's meetings are especially significant as they will officially launch the 15th Five-Year Plan, which will guide China's economic and social development from 2026 to 2030. The plan is a central component of China's goal to achieve "socialist modernization" by 2035. The term "whole-process people's democracy" was first introduced by leader Xi Jinping in 2019 and was written into law in March 2021. It is officially defined as a system that allows public participation in all stages of governance, from policy creation to oversight. Chinese officials contrast this model with Western liberal democracy, arguing that a country's democratic merit should be judged by the results it delivers to its people, not just by its electoral process. The concept is promoted as a more "genuine, and most effective" form of democracy. The new five-year plan pivots toward "high-quality" development rather than just high-speed growth, with China's GDP having expanded by 5.0% in 2025. Key priorities include modernizing industry and achieving greater self-reliance in science and technology, particularly in fields like semiconductors and AI. This economic strategy focuses on creating "new quality productive forces," aiming to transition the economy to be driven more by innovation and technology. The government also aims to boost domestic consumption and further open its service and telecom sectors to foreign investment.
