A conference on democracy and human rights has been held in the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao. Scholars from a number of universities around the country were invited to discuss their position in today's world. Guo Tianqi has more.

As President Biden hosts a controversial democracy summit in the US, a summit to which China wasn't invited. Scholars gathered on Friday in East China's Qingdao for a discussion on the subject. They agreed that while democracy originated in the West, it's a concept that can take many forms. And China's version, whilst different, is just as legitimate.

LI DAOJUN Professor, Human Right Research Centre, Shandong University "China's democracy is based on history and practice. Political consultation and democratic supervision are valuable political experiences that people accept, like and endorse."

Participants agreed that America's version of democracy has failed to protect the public interest during the pandemic and this should be a wake-up call for the whole world. They said American democracy has some advantages in times of peace and stability, but it can also bring significant risks and political polarization in society. Guo Tianqi, CGTN, Beijing.