China's ruling Communist Party on Wednesday ruled out relaxing its 56-year-old monopoly on political power in the world's most populous nation, claiming that CPC's leadership is an 'objective requirement' to ensure development, stability and great national rejuvenation.

'CPC's leadership and rule in China is an objective requirement of the country's development and progress,' a white paper on 'Building of Political Democracy in China', issued by the State Council, China's cabinet, said.

'It was a choice made by history and by the people,' the policy paper, the first-ever of its kind on the sensitive political system, says while defending the CPC's tight grip on political power ever since the People's Republic was founded in 1949 by Chairman Mao Zedong.

The socialist political democracy 'is the apt choice suited to China's conditions and meeting the requirement of social progress', it said.

Such democracy has enabled the Chinese people, who account for one-fifth of the world's population, 'to become masters of their own country and society, and enjoy extensive democratic rights', the white paper said.

In building a 'socialist political democracy', China has always adhered to the basic principle that the Marxist theory of democracy be combined with the reality of China, it said.

In the process, China has also borrowed from the useful achievements of political development of mankind, including Western democracy, and assimilated the democratic elements of China's traditional culture and institutional civilisation, the white paper said.

'Therefore, China's socialist political democracy shows distinctive Chinese characteristics', it said.

The 12-part document said the CPC's 'leading status' was established gradually in the protracted struggle and practice of the Chinese people in pursuing national independence, prosperity and a happy life.

'Experience has shown that, in China, it is the CPC that unites the Chinese people, gives full play to their enthusiasm, initiative and creativity, and has them engage, heart and soul, in the common struggle for their common interests, common cause, common ideal and a better future for China', it said.

At the same time, the CPC acknowledged that the country still faced a number of problems, including corruption. 'Despite the tremendous achievements scored in building a socialist political democracy, the CPC and the Chinese people are clearly aware of the many problems yet to be overcome', the document noted.

The major problems include - the democratic system is not yet perfect; the people's right to manage state and social affairs, economic and cultural undertakings as masters of the country in a socialist market economy are not yet fully realised.