CG Lin Jing, published on Cape Times, December 23

On the 9th and 10th of December 2021, the US President Joe Biden hosted a virtual Summit for Democracy with over 100 countries, activists ,trade unionists, business leaders and other members of civil society in attendance.

Although Biden termed this a summit to strengthen and renew democracy and democratic institutions, several countries like Zimbabwe which the US imposed sanctions on, and China which has the second largest economy in the world were not invited.

This comes at a time when American democracy is evidently dysfunctional and in a disastrous state. The government for the people by the people doesn’t seem to be at work in the US. Yes the citizens still choose their leaders and decide on policies but, racism is at its highest. Hate crimes against people of Asian descent is at an alarming 76% increase since 2020,anti-Semitism  follows right behind it and more African- Americans are getting killed in police violence. A widening wealth gap between the rich and the poor has also become noticeable especially with the Covid -19 pandemic and an increase in loss of employment.

China on the other hand, leads with brilliant democratic practices. Under the leadership of President Xi Jin Ping, China has a whole process people’s democracy which keeps people’s interests at heart right from the electory process till the terms of office for public officials. Chinese citizens have a right to vote and participate in state governance in a way that promotes social fairness, justice and resolves inadequacies in development.

The US which claims to have the world’s best medical resources has to date recorded the highest Covid 19 death toll with 800 000 lives lost so far and 50 million cases but China’s Covid-19 numbers remain low and stable. While the USA and other countries in the west stockpiled on Covid -19 vaccines instead of sharing with poor countries, China which sees other countries as partners rather than rivals not only made vaccines available to other countries especially in the African continent, it also assisted in the rollout.

China also plays a leading role in technological advancement and recently at the Forum on China- Africa Co-operation (FOCAC) in Dakar, Senegal where several heads of states including President Xi Jinping at South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa where in attendance, China furthermore proved that it does not seek to super impose its model of democracy on any country. Unlike the US which seeks to dictate its standards as a “model” or “beacon” of democracy and impose its political system on others in order to supress them,China supports all countries independently and gives them free reign to create their own political systems.

At the Focac, China promised to help African countries with areas of medical health, economic recovery, agriculture, digital innovation, trading, people to people exchange, poverty reduction, peace and security. These are areas that China itself has been able to remarkably show achievement under the leadership of the CPC.