At the sideline of the 27th Wanshou Forum held in Beijing on February 28, general director of the Research Office under the International Department of the CPC Central Committee Luan Jianzhang talked to China Today about China’s political system.

China Today: The two sessions will be held soon. Compared with the western political system, what do you think about the advantages of China’s political system?

Luan Jianzhang: The establishment of any political mechanism is related to the unique economic and cultural foundation of the nation, and has its own advantages and characteristics. I understand that the prominent feature of China's political mechanism is embodied in political consultations that focus on long-term and fundamental interests of the country, rather than on the so-called confrontational contention of votes. If the wider public is pursuing short-term interests, it is impossible to shape a genuine political consensus. So I hold that the concept of political consultation is a conceptual public product that China presents to the world. Everyone consults about what to do instead of confronting each other when it comes to addressing issues. If politics is polarized and society becomes divided, everyone is locked in a row when meeting, making major accomplishments very difficult to achieve. I would like to emphasize that upon encountering the evolution of the global political party patterns and the rise of populist political parties, China's unique system about political parties is increasingly displaying global significance, which is a major contribution to human political civilization. China’s institutional advantages and our confidence are exhibited in this field.