在中国，国家各项制度都是围绕人民当家作主构建的，国家治理体系都是围绕实现人民当家作主运转的，全过程人民民主具有完整的制度程序。这些制度程序，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，有效保证了党的主张、国家意志、人民意愿相统一，有效保证了人民当家作主。

　　（一）实行人民民主专政的国体

　　中国是工人阶级领导的、以工农联盟为基础的人民民主专政的社会主义国家。人民民主专政，体现中国的国家根本性质。

　　中国坚持民主与专政有机统一，保证了人民当家作主。一方面，始终坚持人民民主专政中的“民主”，坚持国家的一切权力属于人民，保证人民依照宪法和法律规定，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；另一方面，始终坚持人民民主专政中的“专政”，充分履行国家政权的专政职能，依法打击破坏社会主义制度、颠覆国家政权、危害国家安全和公共安全等各种犯罪行为，维护法律尊严和法律秩序，保护国家和人民利益。民主和专政不是矛盾的，都是为了保证人民当家作主。打击极少数是为了保护大多数，实行专政是为了实现民主。

　　（二）实行人民代表大会制度的政体

　　人民代表大会制度，是适应人民民主专政国体的政权组织形式，是中国的根本政治制度，是中国人民当家作主的根本途径和最高实现形式，是实现全过程人民民主的重要制度载体。人民代表大会制度，坚持国家一切权力属于人民，最大限度保障人民当家作主，把党的领导、人民当家作主、依法治国有机结合起来，有效保证国家治理跳出治乱兴衰的历史周期率。人民代表大会制度，正确处理事关国家前途命运的一系列重大政治关系，实现国家统一有效组织各项事业，维护国家统一和民族团结，有效保证国家政治生活既充满活力又安定有序。

　　人民通过人民代表大会有效行使国家权力。人民代表大会代表人民统一行使国家权力，全国人民代表大会是最高国家权力机关，地方人民代表大会是地方国家权力机关。各级国家行政机关、监察机关、审判机关、检察机关都由人民代表大会产生，对人大负责、受人大监督。人民代表大会有立法权、监督权、决定权、任免权。全国人民代表大会及其常务委员会行使国家立法权，全国人民代表大会行使修改宪法以及制定和修改刑事、民事、国家机构的和其他的基本法律的权力；全国人民代表大会对国家主席、副主席，国务院总理、副总理及其他组成人员，中央军事委员会主席及其他组成人员，国家监察委员会主任，最高人民法院院长，最高人民检察院检察长行使人事任免权；全国人民代表大会对事关国家发展、人民利益的重大问题，包括国民经济和社会发展计划和计划执行情况的报告、国家的预算和预算执行情况的报告行使审查和批准权等；全国人民代表大会及其常务委员会行使对宪法实施、“一府一委两院”工作等的监督权。地方各级人民代表大会及其常务委员会依法行使相应职权。人民代表大会制度，实现了广泛民主，使各级人民代表大会有高度的权力，保证了人民掌握和行使国家权力，国家和民族前途命运牢牢掌握在人民手中。

　　人大代表充分反映人民呼声。人大代表来自人民，横向上，来自各地区、各民族、各方面、各阶层；纵向上，全国、省、市、县、乡五级都有人民代表大会，具有广泛代表性。截至2020年底，全国共有人大代表262万名，其中县乡两级人大代表占代表总数的94.5%。人大代表充分发挥植根人民的优势，依法认真履职尽责，通过各种形式和渠道听取和反映人民群众的意见建议。一年一度的各级人民代表大会会议，乡、县、市、省、全国自下而上、逐级召开，使得人民群众意愿和呼声能够真实反映、向上传递。改革开放以来，每年的全国人大会议上，近3000名全国人大代表共商国家发展大计、共议民生热点问题，党和国家领导人当面倾听意见建议，让人民的所思所盼融入国家发展顶层设计。各国家机关依法认真研究办理人大代表提出的议案、建议，许多被吸纳进政策决策中。

　　人民代表大会制度，为中国共产党领导人民有效治理国家提供了重要制度保障。党通过人民代表大会制度，使党的主张通过法定程序成为国家意志，使党组织推荐的人选通过法定程序成为国家政权机关的领导人员，通过国家政权机关实施党对国家和社会的领导，维护党和国家权威、维护全党全国团结统一。实践充分证明，人民代表大会制度是符合中国国情和实际、体现社会主义国家性质、保证人民当家作主、保障实现中华民族伟大复兴的好制度，必须长期坚持、全面贯彻、不断发展。

　　（三）坚持和完善中国共产党领导的多党合作和政治协商制度

　　中国共产党领导的多党合作和政治协商制度是中国的一项基本政治制度。这一制度植根中国土壤、彰显中国智慧，又积极借鉴和吸收人类政治文明优秀成果，是中国新型政党制度。宪法规定，中国共产党领导的多党合作和政治协商制度将长期存在和发展。

　　在中国，除了中国共产党，还有八个民主党派（注^①）。在人民民主的共同旗帜下，中国共产党与各民主党派长期共存、互相监督、肝胆相照、荣辱与共，形成了中国共产党领导的多党合作和政治协商制度这一具有鲜明中国特色和显著优势的新型政党制度。中国共产党是执政党，八个民主党派是接受中国共产党领导、同中国共产党亲密合作的参政党，是中国共产党的好参谋、好帮手、好同事。在中国，没有反对党，也没有在野党。中国既不是一党专政，也不是多党竞争、轮流执政，而是“共产党领导、多党派合作，共产党执政、多党派参政”。

　　中国共产党和各民主党派、无党派人士以会议协商、约谈协商、书面协商等形式，就国家和地方重大政策和重要事务进行协商。中国共产党自觉接受各民主党派、无党派人士的民主监督。中国共产党和各民主党派、无党派人士在国家政权中合作共事，民主党派成员和无党派人士在各级人大代表、人大常委会组成人员及人大专门委员会成员中均占一定数量，一些民主党派成员和无党派人士担任国家机关领导职务。各民主党派、无党派人士紧紧围绕国家中心工作，积极参政议政、建言献策，为国家发展发挥作用。
【参考译文】

In China, the people's status as masters of the country is the bedrock of all the systems of the country, and underlies the operation of all the systems for state governance. Whole-process people's democracy involves complete institutional procedures. These well-coordinated and comprehensive institutional procedures serve to put into place diverse, open, and well-organized democratic channels to ensure that the Party's policies and the state will are integrated with the people's aspirations, and that the people are masters of the country.

1.The Governing System of the People's Democratic Dictatorship

The Constitution describes China as a socialist country governed by a people's democratic dictatorship that is led by the working class and based on an alliance of workers and peasants. The fundamental nature of the state is defined by the people's democratic dictatorship.

China upholds the unity of democracy and dictatorship to ensure the people's status as masters of the country. On the one hand, all power of the state belongs to the people to ensure that they administer state affairs and manage economic and cultural undertakings and social affairs through various channels and in various ways in accordance with the Constitution and laws; on the other hand, China takes resolute action against any attempt to subvert the country's political power or endanger public or state security, to uphold the dignity and order of law and safeguard the interests of the people and the state. Democracy and dictatorship appear to be a contradiction in terms, but together they ensure the people's status as masters of the country. A tiny minority is sanctioned in the interests of the great majority, and "dictatorship" serves democracy.

2.The Governing Structure of the System of People's Congresses

The system of people's congresses, an organizational form of political power compatible with the governing system of the people's democratic dictatorship, is China's fundamental political system, and the ultimate approach and optimal solution to guaranteeing the people's status as masters of the country. It is also an important institutional support to whole-process people's democracy. Under this system, all power of the state belongs to the people to guarantee their status as masters of the country. At the same time, it integrates the Party's leadership, the people's principal position, and the rule of law, to help the country avoid the historical cycle of rise and fall of ruling orders apparent through the centuries of imperial dynasty. Under this system, all the major political relationships with a bearing on the nation's future are properly managed, and all social undertakings operate under the effective centralized organization of the state. This maintains national unity and ethnic solidarity, and ensures that vigor, stability and order prevail in the country's political life.

The people exercise state power effectively through people's congresses; people's congresses exercise state power collectively on behalf of the people. The National People's Congress (NPC) is the highest organ of state power. Local people's congresses at all levels are local agencies of state power. All administrative, supervisory, judicial, and procuratorial organs of the state are created by the people's congresses, to which they are responsible and by which they are supervised.

The people's congresses have four main functions and powers:

•Legislation. The NPC and its Standing Committee exercise the legislative power of the state. The NPC exercises the powers and functions to amend the Constitution and enact and amend basic laws governing criminal offenses, civil affairs, state agencies and other matters;

•Appointment and removal of officials. The NPC exercises the powers and functions to appoint or remove the president and vice president(s) of the PRC, the premier, vice premier(s) and other members of the State Council, the chairperson and other members of the Central Military Commission, the chairperson of the National Supervisory Commission, the president of the Supreme People's Court, and the procurator-general of the Supreme People's Procuratorate;

•Decision-making. The NPC exercises the powers and functions to examine and approve major issues significant to national development and the interests of the people, such as the plan for national economic and social development and the report on its implementation, and state budget and the report on its implementation;

•Supervision. The NPC and its Standing Committee exercise the right of overseeing the enforcement of the Constitution and the work of the State Council, the National Supervisory Commission, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

Local people's congresses and their standing committees exercise corresponding powers and functions as prescribed by law. The system of people's congresses makes extensive democracy possible by empowering people's congresses at all levels, to ensure that the people hold and exercise state power, and that they keep the nation's future firmly in their hands.

The deputies to people's congresses are fully representative of the people. They come from all regions, ethnic groups, sectors and social groups, and function at national, provincial, city, county and township levels. At the end of 2020, 2.62 million people were serving as deputies to people's congresses at all levels nationwide. Among them, those at county and township levels accounted for 94.5 percent of the total. Making full use of their close connections with the people, these deputies diligently fulfill their duties by soliciting and submitting the people's suggestions and advice through various forms and channels.

The annual people's congresses are first held from the grassroots upwards at township, county, city, and provincial levels and then at the highest national level, to take full cognizance of the people's aspirations and report them to upper levels. Since the launch of reform and opening up in 1978, about 3,000 NPC deputies have gathered in the presence of the Party and state leaders at the NPC session each year to discuss plans for national development and problems affecting people's lives, and to put the people's expectations at the top of the agenda on state matters. Many of the motions and proposals put forward by deputies have been carefully reviewed and then included into policy decisions of state organs.

The system of people's congresses has provided institutional guarantee for the CPC to lead the people in effectively running the country. It enables the Party to turn its proposals into state policies, and to place the candidates recommended by Party organizations into positions as state leaders through statutory procedures. It also empowers the organs of state governance to exercise the Party's leadership over the country and society, to uphold the authority of the Party and the state, and to safeguard the unity and solidarity of the Party and the country. The system of people's congresses is the optimal choice, in accord with China's national conditions and realities. It embodies the socialist nature of the state and guarantees the people's principal position and national rejuvenation. It must be fully implemented, further enriched, and maintained as a long-term institution.

3. The System of Multiparty Cooperation and Political Consultation Under CPC Leadership

The system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC is a basic element of China's political framework. The Constitution stipulates, "The system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China will continue and develop long into the future." A new model grown out of the soil of China, it also learns from other countries and absorbs the fruits of their political achievements.

In China, there are no opposition parties. But China's political party system is not a system of one-party rule. Nor is it one in which multiple parties vie for power and govern in turn. It is a multiparty cooperation system in which the CPC exercises state power. In addition to the CPC, there are eight other political parties. [The eight other political 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 Jiusan Society, and the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League.] The other parties participate fully in the administration of state affairs under the leadership of the CPC.

Under the shared banner of people's democracy, and respecting the principles of long-term coexistence, mutual oversight, sincerity, and sharing the rough times and the smooth, the CPC and the other parties have created a new political party system with distinctive Chinese features and strengths.

The CPC is the governing party, and the other parties accept its leadership. They cooperate closely with the CPC and function as its advisors and assistants. Through forums, talks, and written and other forms of consultation, the CPC consults with the other parties and prominent individuals without affiliation to any political party (non-affiliates) on major national and local policies and matters. It willingly accepts the democratic scrutiny of the other parties and the non-affiliates. In the exercise of state power, the CPC works together with the other parties and the nonaffiliates. Members of the other parties and the non-affiliates account for a certain percentage of the total numbers of deputies to people's congresses, the standing committees of people's congresses, and the special committees of people's congresses at all levels. Some of them occupy leading posts in state organs. The other parties and the non-affiliates actively deliberate on and participate in the administration of state affairs. They are valued advisors on key national programs and contributors to the development of the country.