On October 18, a special theoretical seminar on democratic supervision was held in Changsha, organized by the Central Committee of the China Democratic National Construction Association (CDNCA). The conference aimed to summarize previous work and explore new pathways to enhance the quality and effectiveness of democratic supervision. This initiative continues the CDNCA’s focused efforts on ecological environment protection along the Yangtze River in Hunan province, further strengthening collaborative efforts for environmental conservation.
Democratic supervision is one of the three fundamental functions of democratic parties. Since 2021, the CDNCA has implemented a five-year plan focused on Yangtze River ecological protection in Hunan, with this year marking the fourth year and a crucial phase for improving quality and sustainability.
The Hunan Provincial Committee of the CDNCA has actively collaborated with both the Central Committee and the Hunan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China to carry out specialized democratic supervision. This involves creating a coordination mechanism, identifying key supervision areas, and mobilizing resources across the board, resulting in a comprehensive supervision and research model that integrates grassroots monitoring, regional investigations, and specialized studies.
Leveraging the expertise of the Central Committee’s advisory team, research has been conducted across seven counties (including Pingjiang and Linxiang), focusing on targeted investigations. A comprehensive assessment of the 163-kilometer stretch of the Yangtze River in Hunan was completed, which included visits to seven counties in the Dongting Lake area, 15 villages, and 17 project sites. In key sectors like urban pipeline upgrades, there have been over 79 specialized research initiatives and inspections of 297 project locations. The Hunan Provincial Committee remains committed to organically integrating theory and practice, innovating in the field of democratic supervision theory, and actively exploring a unique model for Hunan while generating valuable research outcomes.
Since the onset of the Yangtze River ecological protection democratic supervision, other provinces have shown support and concern for Hunan’s initiatives, following the guidance from the Central Committee. In 2023, provincial organizations along the Yangtze River convened in Yueyang for a thematic forum centered on safeguarding the river’s waters, discussing common challenges. In the first half of 2024, a more in-depth supervisory research initiative will take place, where a province will provide targeted research support to a city in Hunan, delivering constructive suggestions for high-quality social and economic development as well as advanced ecological protection.
In May of this year, the research department of the Central Committee launched a theoretical essay competition, receiving 92 outstanding submissions. After several rounds of evaluations, 58 essays were selected for awards. During the conference, eight authors of the top essays and related experts delivered keynote speeches. Discussions were also held among relevant leaders from various provincial organizations regarding the insights and recommendations raised in the essays, as well as issues encountered in recent democratic supervision efforts.