What Is the Difference Between US and Chinese Democracy CCP “Expert” Ridiculed by Netizens

An image circulating online shows that on January 18, 2025, in Wuhan, Hubei, a petitioner walked the streets wearing a banner that reads “We want democracy, freedom, and ballots.” (Video screenshot)

[People News] On December 7, X platform user “Li Jun” posted a video of a press briefing held by the Information Office of the State Council of the CCP. The video shows Tian Peiyan, Deputy Director of the Central Policy Research Office, responding to a Reuters reporter’s question about the difference between American democracy and Chinese democracy.

The video shows the Reuters reporter asking:
“In the American democratic system, after a political figure is elected, they must be held accountable by voters. If voters think he is doing a bad job, they can vote him out in the next election. But in China, once a People’s Congress representative is elected, he only needs to satisfy his superiors and the Party; even if voters are dissatisfied with his superior, they cannot directly vote the leader out. What is your comment on this?”

Tian Peiyan—currently Deputy Director of the Central Policy Research Office, a member of the 14th CPPCC National Committee, a member of the Social and Legal Affairs Committee, and a delegate to the 20th CCP National Congress—was designated to answer.

Tian Peiyan replied that under America’s democratic system, political figures are agents of interest groups rather than representatives of the majority of voters or the overall interests of the country. He said that for elections they can “promise whatever they want,” but after being elected, they seldom fulfill these promises—and voters can do nothing but wait for the next election. Tian said:
“This is not real democracy. The Chinese people do not like it, nor do they need such a democracy.”

Tian continued:
“China’s democracy is whole-process people’s democracy under the leadership of the Communist Party of China. Party members and leading cadres at all levels must accept all-process, all-direction, all-domain supervision by the Party or the people, ensuring that the right to prosperity always serves the people’s interests… For those deputies to the People’s Congress who fail to perform duties according to law or commit illegal or disciplinary violations, voters or electoral units can revoke their qualifications or remove them from office according to law, without waiting for the next election. Such democracy is broader, more genuine, and more effective than American democracy…”

Below the video, Li Jun added his own comment:
“You have cognition; the CCP has shamelessness! And it’s the thick-skinned kind, with the bold confidence of ‘I’m shameless, so what?’ They know dictatorship benefits themselves; democracy benefits the masses. To maintain long-term dictatorship, they dress themselves in the clothing of democracy—like a wolf wearing sheep’s skin—attempting to deceive democratic countries.”

Many X platform users angrily responded:

  • “This is called autocracy, not democracy.”

  • “He’s not embarrassed reading it, but we are embarrassed hearing it.”

  • “They probably think this answer sounds democratic and are preparing to promote it globally!”

  • “Doesn’t he bite his own tongue saying such things?”

  • “The CCP turning black into white—shameless beyond measure.”

  • “So funny… when have they ever allowed the people to speak? Isn’t everything ‘represented’ by you all?”

  • “Calling black white—where is freedom of speech? Where is democracy? Where is ‘the people first’? Which corrupt official serves the people? Deceiving people worldwide!”

X user “Lizhi Biaoshi” wrote:
“Notably, when discussing the punishment of illegal officials, Tian Peiyan said ‘they will receive strict punishment by Party discipline and state law,’ exposing that CCP Party discipline is above the constitution. Anything that happens must first be judged by the Party before entering legal procedure. This proves that the CCP practices an authentic dictatorship.”

User Tom zheng wrote:
“99% of Chinese officials are corrupt. Are they serving themselves or the people? You can grab a handful of officials at random and they’re corrupt. Are they supervised by the Party or the people? Is the Party derelict in its duties? Who supervises the Party?”

Regarding CCP leader Xi Jinping’s concept of “whole-process democracy,” Voice of America interviewed Dr. Wang Juntao, chairman of the National Committee of the China Democracy Party, on November 5, 2019.

Wang Juntao pointed out that during Hu Yaobang’s era, Liu Wanli had also raised the issue of scientific and democratic decision-making, calling for full consideration of different opinions at all stages. But in Xi Jinping’s era, things differ—he wants to “establish his own absolute authority.”
“In a situation where one man must reign supreme, how can there be democracy? How can he listen to different opinions?”

Wang Juntao explained that democracy means people elect their own government and effectively participate in national governance. But the Communist Party has a unique feature—its concept of “the people” is not equivalent to “citizens.” The concept of “citizens” means everyone must participate; the concept of “the people,” however, excludes anyone who disagrees with the CCP.
“So it only listens to those it likes or those who support it; those who don’t support it—as statistics by Freedom House show—are imprisoned or simply ignored. Therefore, CCP-style democratic participation is just the Party playing with itself.”

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