China must firmly defend itself against 'erroneous thoughts' from the west such as multiparty democracy, bicameralism and the separation of powers, a mainland leader has written, just one month after hundreds of intellectuals petitioned for political reforms.
The chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Jia Qinglin , reaffirmed the party line in an article on Friday in the latest issue of the Communist Party mouthpiece magazine Qiushi, or 'Seeking Truth'.
It was written to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the CPPCC, which falls in September.
Mr Jia recapped the history of the CPPCC, which supposedly acts as a platform for multiparty co-operation, and consulting and supervising the ruling Communist Party. In reality, the CPPCC is largely a political vase and has less power than the National People's Congress.
The eight other 'democratic parties' can only take part in politics through the CPPCC - controlled by the Communist Party - or on the rare occasions when members are appointed to government positions.
Calling the CPPCC a 'political organisation and form of democracy with Chinese characteristics', Mr Jia stressed that in the future its priority should be to uphold Communist Party rule and its key task should be to strengthen political ideologies.
'[The CPPCC] must strengthen the defence line against disruption from erroneous ideological thinking such as the western two-party and multiparty systems, bicameralism, and the separation of powers.'
