China's political system is different from the two-party or multi-party political systems in Western countries, and also unlike the unilateral party system practiced in some other countries.

China's political system is a system of multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC). The system was established and developed jointly by the CPC and other democratic parties in their longtime commitments to China's revolution, its construction and reforms. The system has become a basic political system in contemporary China.

The prominent features of the multi-party cooperation and political consultation system are: It is under the CPC's leadership, and multi-parties cooperate; the CPC is the ruling party, and all other democratic parties participate in the government decision-making process.

The democratic parties exist neither as opposition parties nor non-ruling parties, they work in close cooperation with the CPC as friendly parties and parties participating in the government decision-making process. All democratic parties in China jointly participate in the administration of state affairs, including instituting state policies, laws and regulations and consulting on the selection of state leaders.

China's national condition and nature have made it determined that the leadership of the CPC is the precondition and fundamental guarantee of a multi-party cooperation. At the same time, however, the CPC's leadership does not simply take charge of everything, but exercises a political leadership, namely, a leadership of political principles, political orientation, and major state policies.

The CPC-led multi-party cooperation and political consultation system well combines together the wisdom of all other democratic parties, associations and people from all walks of life. The combined wisdom of the system can not only help promote a more scientific and democratic decision-making of the ruling party and governments at all levels, but can also help balance the interests and needs of various communities. The system can work to avoid the disadvantage of a lack of supervision in a single-party system, and at the same time also help prevent party wrangling, political chaos and social instability caused by multi-party disputes.