China bristles at mention of democracy during Blinken visit to India

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 28

Blinken's India visit figured during the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s briefing with its spokesperson Zhao Lijian stating “there are various ways to achieve democracy rather than a fixed formula or a standard answer”.

Zhao was asked by a western media agency that Blinken seemed to be raising concerns about China when he called on the world’s two leading democracies to stand together in support of democratic ideals.

“One-man, one-vote and a multi-party system is not the sole form of democracy. Democracy should not be used as a label or tool to belittle or smear other countries or stoke confrontations. Which country is a democracy and which is an autocracy should not be determined by a very small number of countries,” he said. 

“I would like to point out that, the key yardstick to measure a political system lies in whether it suits the national conditions of a country, whether it brings about political stability, social progress and betterment of people’s livelihood, whether it is supported by its own people, and whether it makes contribution to the cause of human progress.’’

In a comprehensive reply, Zhao asked several provocative questions about the deficiencies in the democratic makeup of many nations. Zhao said some self-proclaimed democracies are deeply troubled at home by wealth disparity, social division, racial divide and political polarisation.

“Is that what their so-called democracy looks like? In some countries, it’s “no money, no vote” and partisan interests above public interests. Is that democratic politics or money politics? Some countries blatantly meddle in other countries' domestic affairs, shift blames, and suppress and contain other countries’ development. Is this what a so-called democracy is all about?” he asked.

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