Democracy not as standard as Coca-Cola, Chinese Envoy

Democracy is not like Coca-Cola which has one formula and tastes the same around the world, Ambassador of China to Sri Lanka, Qi Zhenhong, said in an opinion column published Friday.

According to him, democracy and human rights have been frequently manipulated by a few countries to exercise interference and hegemony, disturbing and disordering the world.

Qi said that democracy should be like flowers blooming in the garden, all beautiful but different and with their own features.

He added that roads to democracy are different and that democracy is not an ornamental decoration but a way to solve people’s problems.

“Whether a country is a democracy or not depends on whether its people are really the masters of the country.

“ If the people are awakened only for voting but have no say after the election, such a democracy is not a true democracy,’’ Qi said.

He said that democracy should be evaluated by orderly replacement of leadership; the ability of people to manage state, social, economic, and cultural affairs.

“People should access channels to express appeals and complaints and should have ability to participate in national political life.

“This approach enables unity of process and results to procedure and substance of direct and indirect democracy.’’

Xinhua/NAN