China's Regime Politics: Character and Condition

摘要

Specialists on Chinese studies are divided on whether or not China is moving towards democracy. Many scholars forcefully argue that China by now is fairly democratic. While conforming to these views, this article prompts the thesis that China is already somewhat democratic today and is becoming more so. This is argued by highlighting the trends and the progressive character in its emerging regime politics. On the surface, these progressive trends and character may be seen as rhetorical and more as a communist proposition to legitimize its ruling. But the mere emergence of these democratic features confirms that the regime in China is in a phase of transition. In the idiom of political regimes, one may like to call it a 'hybrid' state.