黎江 | 做好疫情防控重点工作

嘉宾简介:

马志鹏,毕业于北京外国语大学高级翻译学院英语口译专业(中英同声传译方向),国家奖学金获得者。北京市优秀毕业生。曾获首都高校研究生英语翻译大赛冠军等奖项。

英文文本:

Democracy is a shared human value and an ideal that has always been cherished by the CPC and the Chinese people. To translate the concepts and values of democracy into effective institutions and concrete actions, we need to adopt appropriate systems, mechanisms, ways and means. To do this we have to combine theory and practice, form and content, past experience and current reality.

As I have said, the best way to evaluate whether a country's political system is democratic and effective is to observe whether the succession of its leaders is orderly and law-based, whether the people can manage state and social affairs and economic and cultural undertakings in accordance with the law, whether the public can express their needs through open channels, whether all sectors of society can effectively participate in the country's political affairs, whether the country's decision-making can be conducted in a rational and democratic manner, whether people in all sectors can enter the state leadership and administrative systems by way of fair competition, whether the governing party can lead state affairs in accordance with the Constitution and the law, and whether the exercise of power is subject to effective checks and oversight.

Democracy is not an ornament to be put on display, but an instrument for addressing the issues that concern the people. Whether a country is democratic depends on whether its people are truly the masters of the country, and whether the people have the right to vote, and more importantly, the right to participate extensively in governance of the country; it depends on what promises they are given during elections, and more importantly, how many of these promises are delivered after elections; it depends on what kind of political procedures and rules are set through state systems and laws, and more importantly, whether these systems and laws are truly enforced; it depends on whether the rules and procedures for the exercise of power are democratic, and more importantly, whether the exercise of power is genuinely subject to public oversight and checks. If the people are only addressed in order to solicit votes and then are left out in the cold, if they must listen to grandiose election slogans but have no voice when the elections are over, or if they are wooed by candidates during election campaigns only to be cast aside afterwards, this is not true democracy.

In sum, democracy is the right of the people of all countries, not the prerogative of a few nations. Whether a country is democratic should be judged by its own people, not by a handful of meddlesome outsiders. In the international community, whether a country is democratic should be judged by community consensus, not by a few self-appointed judges. There is no uniform or single model of democracy; it comes in many forms. It is undemocratic in itself to measure the world's diverse political systems against a single criterion, or to view the colorful political civilizations of humanity from a single perspective.

The Communist Party of China has always upheld people's democracy and has always adhered to the following basic ideas:

First, people's democracy is the lifeblood of socialism; without democracy, there would be no socialism, socialist modernization, or national rejuvenation.

Second, the running of the country by the people is the essence and heart of socialist democracy. The very purpose of developing socialist democracy is to give full expression to the will of the people, protect their rights and interests, spark their creativity, and provide an institutional framework to ensure that the people are the masters of the country.

Third, the Chinese socialist path of political development is the right path, as it conforms to China's national conditions and secures the position of the people as masters of the country. It is the logical outcome of history, theory, and practice based on the strenuous efforts of the Chinese people since the 1840s. It is a requisite for maintaining the very nature of our Party and fulfilling its fundamental mission.

Fourth, China's socialist democracy takes two important forms: One, the people exercise rights by means of elections and voting, and two, people from all sectors of society are consulted extensively in order to reach the widest possible consensus on matters of common concern before major decisions are made. These are the institutional features and strengths of China's socialist democracy.

Fifth, the key to developing China's socialist democracy is to fully leverage its features and strengths. As we continue to advance socialist democracy with soundly-designed institutions, standards and procedures, we can provide better institutional safeguards for our Party and country's prosperity and long-term stability.

Deng Xiaoping o...