China Association for Promoting Democracy 中国民主促进会
Chairperson	Cai Dafeng
Founded	30 December 1945; 80 years ago (1945-12-30)
Headquarters	Beijing
Newspaper	Democracy Monthly
Membership(2024)	200,000
Ideology	Socialism with Chinese characteristics
National People's Congress (14th)	54 / 2,977
NPC Standing Committee	7 / 175
CPPCC National Committee (14th)	45 / 544 (Seats for political parties)
Website
www.mj.org.cn
Politics of China Political parties Elections

TheChina Association for Promoting Democracy (CAPD, commonly known in Chinese asMinjin) is one of the eight minor political parties, officially termed "democratic parties," in thePeople's Republic of China under the direction of theChinese Communist Party. CAPD is a political party of a united-front nature, composed mainly of middle- and senior-level intellectuals engaged in education, culture, publishing, media, and related fields of science and technology.^[1]

It was formed on 30 December 1945, and mainly represents high-level intellectuals engaged in education and cultural publishing media. The CAPD is the fourth-ranking minor party in China. It currently has 58 seats in theNational People's Congress, 7 seats in theNPC Standing Committee and 45 seats in theChinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Its current chairman isCai Dafeng.

The China Association for Promoting Democracy (Minjin) was founded by progressive intellectuals from the cultural, educational, and publishing sectors, as well as patriotic figures from the business community who had remained inShanghai during theWar of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.^[2][3] Its principal founders includedMa Xulun,Wang Shao'ao,Zhou Jianren,Xu Guangping,Lin Handong,Xu Boxin,Zhao Puchu,Lei Jieqiong,Zheng Zhenduo, andKe Ling. During the war, they worked alongside members of the Chinese Communist Party in sustained efforts to resist Japanese aggression and save the nation.^[4]

After the victory of the War of Resistance, these figures actively participated in patriotic democratic movements opposingKuomintang dictatorship, advocating democracy, opposing civil war, and calling for peace. On 30 December 1945, they formally established a political organization in Shanghai dedicated to "promoting the spirit of democracy and advancing the practice of democratic politics in China," which was named the China Association for Promoting Democracy.^[5] Following its founding, Minjin issued a series of important political statements, including the Declaration on the Current Situation, calling for an immediate end to one-party dictatorship, the restoration of political power to the people, the cessation of civil war, and the protection of citizens’ freedoms and rights.^[6]

In order to expand the forces supporting peace and democracy, Minjin coordinated and united 68 major mass organizations in Shanghai to form theShanghai Federation of People’s Organizations.^[7] On 23 June 1946, Minjin participated in initiating and organizing a mass rally of more than 100,000 people atShanghai North Railway Station to protest against civil war.^[8] Minjin leaders such as Ma Xulun and Lei Jieqiong also joined a peace petition delegation toNanjing. During the nationally shocking "Xiaguan Incident," they faced violent attacks by Kuomintang assailants, demonstrating, through bloodshed and sacrifice, their steadfast loyalty to the country and the nation.^[9][10]

On 30 April 1948, theCentral Committee of the Chinese Communist Party issued the "May Day Slogans," calling upon all democratic parties, people’s organizations, and prominent individuals to convene a political consultative conference, prepare for the convening of a people’s congress, and establish a democratic coalition government.^[11] Minjin firmly supported and responded to this call. Its main leaders successively moved from Shanghai and Hong Kong to the liberated areas, where they participated in preparations for the newPolitical Consultative Conference.^[12] In September 1949, Minjin representatives—including Ma Xulun, Xu Guangping, Zhou Jianren, Wang Shao’ao, and Lei Jieqiong—attended theFirst plenary session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and took part in drafting theCommon Program, making important contributions to thefounding of the People’s Republic of China.^[13]

According to its constitution, the CAPD is officially committed tosocialism with Chinese characteristics and upholding the leadership of the CCP.^[14] The CAPD is the fourth-ranking minordemocratic party in China.^[15] The party is a member of theChinese People's Political Consultative Conference.^[16]

The highest body of the CAPD officially is the National Congress, which is held every five years. The 13th National Congress, held in December 2022, was the most recently held Party Congress. The National Congress elects the Central Committee of the CAPD.^[14] At the end of 2024, the party had 29province-level, 274prefecture-level city, 54county-level and 9,442 grassroot level organizations.^[17] The CAPD publishes a newspaper titledDemocracy Monthly (民主).^[18]

The party mainly represents high-level intellectuals engaged in education and cultural publishing media.^[2] At the end of 2024, the CAPD had more than 200,000 members, of which 71.4 were middle- and high-level intellectuals in the fields of education, culture, publishing, media, and science and technology.^[17]

No.	Chairperson		Took office	Left office	Ref.
1		Ma Xulun 马叙伦	April 1950	July 1966	[19]
2		Zhou Jianren 周培源	October 1979	July 1984	[19]
3		Ye Shengtao 叶圣陶	December 1984	June 1987	[19]
4		Lei Jieqiong 雷洁琼	June 1987	2 December 1997	[19]
5		Xu Jialu 许嘉璐	December 1997	December 2007	[20]
6		Yan Junqi 严隽琪	December 2007	December 2017	[21]
7		Cai Dafeng 蔡达峰	6 December 2017	Incumbent	[22]

• Official website

• China Association for Promoting Democracy
• 1945 establishments in Shanghai
• Organizations associated with the Chinese Communist Party
• Political parties established in 1945
• Democratic parties of China

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• Articles with short description
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• Use dmy dates from January 2021
• Articles containing Chinese-language text
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