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China Program

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China elections Web site in Chinese (above) and English (below).



Elections Web Sites Launched

In 2002, the program launched the Web site www.chinaelections.org on Chinese elections and governance, available in both Chinese and English.  The site provides Chinese officials at all levels a resource center for governance and election affairs and gives scholars worldwide the opportunity to study Chinese politics and offer reform measures.





The program also maintains and updates the Chinese language National Information Network on Villager Self-government (http://www.chinarural.org/), which facilitates national and global exchange on grassroots democracy.
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The Carter Center China Program


The Chinese government began direct village elections in 1988 to help maintain social and political order in the context of rapid economic reforms. Today, village elections occur in about 650,000 villages across China, reaching 75 percent of the nation's 1.3 billion people.

Carter Center Assists China Elections

Following Carter Center observations of Chinese village elections in 1996 and 1997, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and China's minister of civil affairs discussed means to improve village elections. They identified four main areas in which the Center and the ministry would work together:
  • developing a computer system for collecting data on village elections,
  • providing advice and assistance to the Ministry of Civil Affairs on developing uniform election procedures,
  • sponsoring Chinese officials to observe elections in the United States and other countries, and
  • assisting in the development of civic education programs and publicizing information on village elections in China.

Village Elections Project Begins

In March 1998, the Center initiated a joint project with China's Ministry of Civil Affairs to standardize village election procedures. At the invitation of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress, the Center also observed elections at the township and county level. The relationship with the committee led to Center assistance in training of election officials and elected people's congress deputies, as well as having NPC officials work at the Center and observe U.S. elections.
 
Project Expands Scope

Over the years, the project expanded its activities to include:

  • monitoring and reporting on political and electoral innovations,
  • conducting better-governance seminars for local government officials,
  • providing assistance in amending elections laws and conducting election pilots,
  • translating English democratization and political transition theories into Chinese,
  • establishing learning centers for ordinary Chinese citizens, and
  • publishing a book series on China's political developments.  

In September 2005, the China Village Elections Project became the China Program.  In addition to its work on village election procedures, voter education, and observation of elections at the village, township, and county levels, the program's activities include:

  • cooperation with the national and local people's congresses in introducing better election procedures and strengthening the capacity of the elected deputies to oversee the government's performance and
  • close relationships with academic and nongovernmental organizations in China to promote political reform and social changes.  

Elections Web Sites Launched

In 2002, the program launched the Web site http://www.chinaelections.org/ on Chinese elections and governance, available in both Chinese and English.  The site provides Chinese officials at all levels a resource center for governance and election affairs and gives scholars worldwide the opportunity to study Chinese politics and offer reform measures. 

The program also maintains and updates the Chinese language National Information Network on Villager Self-government (http://www.chinarural.org/), which facilitates national and global exchange on grassroots democracy.