List of political parties in China
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The People's Republic of China (PRC) is a one-party state ruled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Despite this, eight minor political parties subservient to the CCP exist. The PRC is officially organized under what the CCP terms a "system of multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CCP," in which the minor parties must accept the leadership of the CCP.
Under the "one country, two systems" principle, the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau, which were previously colonies of European powers, operate under a different political system from the rest of mainland China. Both Hong Kong and Macau possess multi-party systems that were introduced just before the handover of the territories to China.[1]
Legal parties
[edit]Ruling party
[edit]The Chinese Communist Party is the sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China. The Chinese constitution states that "The defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the leadership of the Communist Party of China",[2] while the CCP constitution declares the party to be the "highest force for political leadership".[3]
| Party | Year founded | Ideology | Members (2023) | Leader | NPC seats | NPCSC seats | NCCPPCC seats[a] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Chinese Communist Party (CCP) 中国共产党 (中共) Zhōngguó Gòngchán Dǎng (Zhōnggòng) |
1921 | Socialism with Chinese characteristics | 100,271,000[4] | Xi Jinping 习近平 |
2,091 / 2,980
|
118 / 175
|
99 / 544
| |
Minor parties
[edit]While only the CCP holds effective power at the national level, there are officially eight minor and non-oppositional parties that exist alongside the CCP that are officially titled democratic parties.[5] Founded before the proclamation of the People's Republic of China, these parties must accept the "leading role" of the CCP as a condition of their continued existence.[6] The official party system of the PRC is the system of multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CCP, and the relationship between these parties and the CCP has officially been described as "long-term coexistence and mutual supervision, treating each other with full sincerity and sharing weal or woe" (prosperity or adversity).[7] According to Human Rights Watch, these parties "play an advisory rather than an oppositional role".[8]
List
[edit]There is officially a ranking system of the parties; the ranking is based on their "contribution to the new democratic revolution".[9]
| Party | Year founded | Members (2022) | Leader | NPC seats | NPCSC seats | NCCPPCC seats[a] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang (RCCK) 中国国民党革命委员会 (民革) Zhōngguó Guómíndǎng Gémìng Wěiyuánhuì (Míngé) |
1948 | 158,000[10] | Zheng Jianbang 郑建邦 |
44 / 2,980
|
6 / 175
|
65 / 544
| |
| China Democratic League (CDL) 中国民主同盟 (民盟) Zhōngguó Mínzhǔ Tóngméng (Mínméng) |
1941 | 356,900[11] | Ding Zhongli 丁仲礼 |
57 / 2,980
|
9 / 175
|
65 / 544
| |
| China National Democratic Construction Association (CNDCA) 中国民主建国会 (民建) Zhōngguó Mínzhǔ Jiànguó Huì (Mínjiàn) |
1945 | 237,526[12] | Hao Mingjin 郝明金 |
57 / 2,980
|
3 / 175
|
65 / 544
| |
| China Association for Promoting Democracy (CAPD) 中国民主促进会 (民进) Zhōngguó Mínzhǔ Cùjìn Huì (Mínjìn) |
1945 | 200,000[13] | Cai Dafeng 蔡达峰 |
58 / 2,980
|
7 / 175
|
45 / 544
| |
| Chinese Peasants' and Workers' Democratic Party (CPWDP) 中国农工民主党 (农工党) Zhōngguó Nónggōng Mínzhǔdǎng (Nónggōngdǎng) |
1930 | 192,000[14] | He Wei 何维 |
54 / 2,980
|
7 / 175
|
45 / 544
| |
| China Zhi Gong Party (CZGP) 中国致公党 (致公党) Zhōngguó Zhì Gōng Dǎng (Zhìgōngdǎng) |
1925 | 69,000[15] | Jiang Zuojun 蒋作君 |
38 / 2,980
|
3 / 175
|
30 / 544
| |
| Jiusan Society (JS) 九三学社 Jiǔsānxuéshè |
1945 | 222,000[16] | Wu Weihua 武维华 |
63 / 2,980
|
4 / 175
|
45 / 544
| |
| Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League (TDSL) 台湾民主自治同盟 (台盟) Táiwān Mínzhǔ Zìzhì Tóngméng (Táiméng) |
1947 | 3,400[17] | Su Hui 苏辉 |
13 / 2,980
|
3 / 175
|
20 / 544
| |
Other parties
[edit]Banned parties
[edit]The following parties formed in China are (or have previously been) banned by the government:
| Party | Year founded | Ideology | Members (2010) | Leader | NPC seats | NPCSC seats | CPPCC seats[a] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Union of Chinese Nationalists (UOCN) 中国泛蓝联盟 |
2004 | Tridemism Conservatism[18][better source needed] |
5,000 | Wen Yan 文炎 |
0 / 2,980
|
0 / 175
|
0 / 544
| |
| Democracy Party of China (DPC) 中国民主党 |
1998[19][20] | Liberalism | Liu Dongxing 刘东星 |
0 / 2,980
|
0 / 175
|
0 / 544
| |||
- The Communist Party of China (Marxist–Leninist) (Chinese: 中国共产党 (马列)) is an anti-revisionist communist party founded in 1976 by several Maoist rebel factions of the Red Guards in Wuhan, Hubei. They believed it was illegal to arrest the Gang of Four and that the new leadership of the CCP is revisionist and unlawful. They were suppressed after attempts at an armed revolt failed in Shanghai, Zhejiang, Canton and Yunnan.[21][better source needed]
- The Communist Party of China (Workers' and Peasants' Liberation Army) (Chinese: 中国共产党 (工农解放军)) is an anti-revisionist communist party founded in 1976 by a Maoist rebel faction of the Red Guards in Fujian. They used the old fortifications built during the Chinese Civil War and organized a partisan army named the "Workers' and Peasants' Liberation Army".[22] They announced that the new leadership of the CCP is revisionist and called for uprising and reestablished the Party Central Committee.[23]
- The New Democracy Party of China (Chinese: 中国新民党) was founded by Guo Quan in Nanjing at the end of 2007.[19][20]
- The Maoist Communist Party of China (Chinese: 中国毛泽东主义共产党) is an anti-revisionist communist party founded in 2008. The party seeks to initiate a "second socialist revolution" to re-establish the dictatorship of the proletariat. It has been subject to crackdowns by the Chinese government.[24]
- The Zhi Xian Party (Chinese: 至宪党), also known as the Chinese Constitutionalist Party in English. Founded by the supporters of Bo Xilai[25][26] in 2013 and banned in December of that year.[27][28]
Overseas parties
[edit]- Shanghai National Party is a pro-democracy party which advocates for Shanghai independence, led by He Anquan, who left China after the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre.[29] The party was notable for its opposition to China's COVID-19 lockdown policies.[29] In particular, he referred to the lockdowns in Shanghai as a genocide and maintained a hunger strike outside the Chinese consulate in New York City.[30] Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, He Anquan visited Ukraine in order to document the war.[31]
Historical parties
[edit] |
Defunct parties
| Party | Ideology | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese Empire Reform Association 保救大清皇帝會 |
Constitutionalism Constitutional monarchism |
1899 | 1911 | |
| Royalist Party 宗社黨 |
Monarchism Manchurian nationalism |
1911 | ||
| Democratic Party 民主黨 |
Conservative liberalism Constitutional monarchism |
1912 | 1913 | |
| Republican Party 共和黨 |
Conservatism Republicanism |
1912 | 1913 | |
| Unity Party 統一黨 |
Conservatism Statism |
1912 | 1913 | |
| Progressive Party 進步黨 |
Chinese nationalism Monarchism |
1913 | 1916 | |
| Anfu Club 安福俱樂部 |
State socialism Republicanism |
1918 | 1920 | |
| Productive People's Party 生产人民党 |
Anti-imperialism Left-wing nationalism |
1933 | 1934 | |
Extant parties banned in mainland China
| Party | Ideology (in China) | From | To (in China) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kuomintang 中國國民黨 |
Three Principles of the People Republicanism Chinese nationalism |
1919 | 1949 | |
| Young China Party 中國青年黨 |
Conservatism Chinese nationalism Anti-Communism |
1923 | 1949 | |
| China Democratic Socialist Party 中國民主社會黨 |
Democratic socialism Chinese nationalism |
1946 | 1949 | |
See also
[edit]
- History of political parties in China
- List of ruling political parties by country
- List of political parties in Hong Kong
- List of political parties in Macau
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Buckley, Roger (1997-05-28). Hong Kong: The Road to 1997 (1 ed.). Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/cbo9780511612220. ISBN 978-0-521-47008-7. S2CID 162068953.
- ^ Wei, Changhao; Hu, Taige (11 March 2018). "Annotated Translation: 2018 Amendment to the PRC Constitution (Version 2.0)". NPC Observer. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
- ^ Xu, Wei (28 October 2022). "Amendment to the Party Constitution elaborated". China Daily. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
- ^ "中国共产党党内统计公报" [Chinese Communist Party Statistics Announcement] (in Chinese). State Council of the People's Republic of China. 30 June 2025. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ Liao, Xingmiu; Tsai, Wen-Hsuan (2019). "Clientelistic State Corporatism: The United Front Model of "Pairing-Up" in the Xi Jinping Era". China Review. 19 (1): 31–56. ISSN 1680-2012. JSTOR 26603249.
- ^ Tselichtchev, Ivan, ed. (2012-01-02). China Versus the West: The Global Power Shift of the 21st Century. Hoboken, NJ, USA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. doi:10.1002/9781119199311. ISBN 978-1-119-19931-1. OCLC 883259659.
- ^ "IV. The System of Multi-Party Cooperation and Political Consultation". China Internet Information Center. Retrieved 2022-12-30.
- ^ "China: Nipped In The Bud - Background". Human Rights Watch. Retrieved 2021-03-18.
- ^ "我国八个民主党派排序考". Lishui Municipal Committee of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang (in Chinese). 9 December 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2014. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- ^ "Zheng Jianbang elected chairman of Chinese KMT Revolutionary Committee". Xinhua News Agency. 11 December 2022. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
- ^ 中国民主同盟简介 [Introduction to the China Democratic League]. China Democratic League (in Chinese). 25 April 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
- ^ "新闻背景：中国民主建国会" [News background: China National Democratic Construction Association]. Xinhua News Agency. 16 December 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
- ^ "新闻背景：中国民主促进会" [News background: China Association for Promoting Democracy]. Xinhua News Agency. 18 December 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
- ^ "新闻背景：中国农工民主党" [News background: Chinese Peasants and Workers Party]. Xinhua News Agency. 7 December 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
- ^ "新闻背景：中国致公党" [News background: China Zhi Gong Party]. Xinhua News Agency. 13 December 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
- ^ "九三学社简介" [Introduction to Jiusan Society]. Jiusan Society. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
- ^ "新闻背景：台湾民主自治同盟" [News background: Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League]. Xinhua News Agency. 7 December 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
- ^ "国台办称中国泛蓝联盟是非法组织" [The Taiwan Affairs Office said the Union of Chinese Nationalists is an illegal organization.]. Phoenix TV (in Chinese (China)). 25 April 2007.
- ^ a b Gittings, John (2005). The Changing Face of China: From Mao to Market. Oxford University Press, 2005. ISBN 0-19-280612-2.
- ^ a b Goldsmith, Jack; Wu, Tim (2006-06-29). Who Controls the Internet?: Illusions of a Borderless World. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/oso/9780195152661.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-19-515266-1.
- ^ Su, Yuan (2017). 1978-1979: Diary. China Cultural Communication Press.
- ^ "'四人帮'在福建打游击". 展望. 01. 1977-01-01.
- ^ "福建四人帮战讯". 展望. 1977-12-01.
- ^ Demick, Barbara (20 March 2012). "China puts a stop to Maoist revival". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 4 June 2012. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- ^ Moore, Malcolm. "Former teacher names Bo Xilai chairman of 'new political party'". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
- ^ Benjamin Kang Lim and Ben Blanchard (9 November 2013). "Bo Xilai supporters launch new political party in China". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
- ^ Shao, Heng. "Bizarre China Report: The Grand Wedding, Power Play & Smog-Inspired Creativity". Forbes. Archived from the original on 2018-01-27. Retrieved 2017-09-03.
- ^ "北京民政局发出取缔"至宪党"决定" [The Beijing Civil Affairs Bureau issued a decision to ban the "Constitutional Party"] (in Chinese). Deutsche Welle. 14 December 2013. Archived from the original on 16 May 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
- ^ a b Areddy, James (26 April 2022). "Shanghai Lockdown Bolsters a Fringe Independence Movement". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 26 April 2022.
- ^ "旅美异见人士纽约中领馆外绝食抗议上海封城" [American dissidents stage hunger strike outside Chinese Consulate in New York to protest Shanghai lockdown]. Radio Free Asia (in Chinese). April 5, 2022. Archived from the original on February 14, 2023.
- ^ Hsiao-hwa, Hsia; Long, Qiao; Ao, Jia (March 3, 2022). "Exiled Chinese dissident travels to Ukraine in bid to document war". Radio Free Asia. Retrieved December 5, 2025.
| Ruling Party | |
|---|---|
| Democratic Parties | |
| Banned | |
| Overseas | |
| Historical |
|
