Xi's speech overruling democracy evokes sharp reactions

BEIJING: President Xi Jinping's remarks that alternative political systems, such as multi-party democracy, were tried but failed in China triggered a debate among Chinese netizens, with some dismissing it as an excuse by the Communist party to retain power.

Some internet users were disappointed, arguing that democracy was never given a fair chance and that socialism was chosen by a small group of Communist Party leaders.

"Have we really tried other forms of government?" one netizen asked.

"That's what textbooks have been saying, but none of the people around me agree," the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post quoted some reaction among the netizens as saying.

China cannot copy the political system or development model of other countries "because it would not fit us and it might even lead to catastrophic consequences", Xi said while addressing students of the College of Europe at Bruges in Belgium, winding up his week-long tour to EU two days ago.

The Chinese people experimented with constitutional monarchy, imperial restoration, parliamentarism, multi-party system and presidential government, yet nothing really worked, he said.

"Finally, China took on the path of socialism. Admittedly, in the process of building socialism, we have had successful experience and also made mistakes," he said.

Some netizens agreed with him saying that socialism was a practical choice for a country like China undergoing massive changes.

"Actually what he said was right," another internet user said.

"There have been revolutions in the past and there are multi-party systems in parts of China, like Taiwan, but the motherland comes out the strongest."

China's constitution enshrines the Communist Party's long-term "leading" role in government, although it allows the existence of various other political parties under what is calls a "multi-party co-operation system".

But all are subservient to the Communist Party, he said.