KUALA LUMPUR -- "The whole-process people's democracy has distinctive Chinese characteristics. It works well for China. It is China's contribution of ideas and solutions to the political progress of humanity." Koh King Kee, president of Center for New Inclusive Asia, a non-government Malaysian think tank, said recently.

Koh said democracy is a means, not an end. It is a means to bring good life to all citizens. Democracy should not exist just in form, it has to be substantive. Democracy should be a complete process with wide and continual participation by the people with the objective of bringing about better life for all.

Echoing on that, Koh raised that China's political system which is "a whole-process democracy" has encompassed the idea that China's one-party political system is a unique application of democratic principles, "one which empowers the people to get involved in the country's decision-making and governance at all levels," which is more participatory than Western democratic systems.

China did not duplicate the Western model of democracy, but created its own. It operates a democratic system covering a population of more than 1.4 billion, consisting of 56 ethnic groups across the country, making possible wide and sustained participation of its entire people, he said.