Chongqing - In 2026, the Communist Party of China (CPC) marks its 105th anniversary. China and the CPC has developed a policymaking system in which different opinions are incorporated into the decision-making process through structured consultation mechanisms. This raises a central question: how are diverse views actually absorbed into policy formation?

According to Zheng Changzhong, Professor at Fudan University, the process is designed so that multiple types of input enter policymaking through institutionalized channels.

“All kinds of professional opinion, grassroots voices, and different views enjoy corresponding institutionalized channels to be factored into the decision-making process,” he said.

Policy formation involves multiple stages of consultation and review. Before formal drafting, symposiums are held to provide input. Some suggestions are directly selected and incorporated into policy design.

“There is direct face-to-face communication with experts, entrepreneurs, and representatives from other political parties and various sectors of society,” Zheng said.

Once proposals are drafted, they are circulated across departments and regions for review and coordination, allowing different administrative bodies to provide feedback and align implementation considerations.

Professional institutions conduct technical evaluation, including feasibility assessment, risk analysis, and compliance review, to ensure proposals are workable and consistent with regulatory requirements.

Institutional channels such as the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference provide structured pathways for deputies and members to submit proposals and motions based on field research, bringing grassroots concerns into formal deliberation.

Public input is also gathered at scale through online consultation platforms, particularly during major national planning exercises.

“The true grassroots voices can reach the decision-making level,” Zheng said.

Taken together, the process is presented as a structured system in which diverse inputs are collected, evaluated, and integrated into policymaking through coordinated institutional procedures.