BEIJING, June 25  -- China's State Council Information Office on Friday issued a white paper titled "China's Political Party System: Cooperation and Consultation," elaborating on the distinctive characteristics and strengths of the country's political party system.

The system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is a basic element of China's political framework, the white paper said.

In this system, in addition to the CPC, there are eight other political parties: the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, the China Democratic League, the China National Democratic Construction Association, the China Association for Promoting Democracy, the Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party, the China Zhi Gong Party, the Jiusan Society, and the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League. The system also includes prominent individuals without affiliation to any of the political parties.

Following the principles of long-term coexistence, mutual oversight, sincerity, and sharing the rough times and the smooth, the CPC and the other political parties have created a multiparty cooperation system in which the CPC exercises state power and the other parties participate fully in the administration of state affairs under the leadership of the CPC, said the white paper.

Calling the system a new model grown out of the soil of China, the white paper said it also learns from other countries and absorbs the fruits of their political achievements.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service