Xi Jinping urges more cooperation among CPC, non-Communist parties to achieve 'national rejuvenation'

Beijing: President Xi Jinping on Sunday called for more cooperation among the ruling Communist Party and non-Communist parties for achieving the ‘Chinese dream of national rejuvenation’ ahead of next week’s key Congress where he is expected to get an endorsement for a second term. There are eight non-Communist parties in the country in addition to the Communist Party of China (CPC). However, these parties have nominal presence. [caption id=“attachment_3368600” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Chinese president Xi Jinping. Reuters[/caption] Xi, who is also the general secretary of the CPC besides being the president and military chief, called for increased cooperation among the CPC and the eight parties to jointly strive for achieving the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation. Xi met the leaders of the parties to solicit opinions on the draft report for the 19th CPC National Congress, a once in-a-five-year meeting which will be convened from 18 October. The eight parties function in a low-key manner under the shadows of the CPC which is the sole ruling party since 1949. These eight non-Communist parties are the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, the China Democratic League, the China National Democratic Construction Association, the China Association for Promoting Democracy, the Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party, the China Zhi Gong Party, the Jiu San Society, and the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League. Founded between 1920s and late 1940s, the non-Communist parties have a membership mainly consisting of professionals and academics from different sectors, elites among returned overseas Chinese and their relatives, people with links to the former Kuomintang, or Taiwan residents, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The eight non-Communist parties are political organisations having connections with people of particular social circles. These parties take part in the running of state affairs, which cover the formulation of major state policies, the election of government leaders, the enactment of laws and regulations, and law enforcement among others, the report added.