A foundation of law

THE FOURTH PLENARY SESSION OF THE 18TH Central Committee of the Communist Party of China opens on Monday and will last for four days. The designated theme - governing through the rule of law - indicates how important this meeting will be for the future of both the Party and the country.

That this is the first time in 17 years the Party has designated such a theme for a plenary session speaks volumes about the importance the new leadership attaches to it. It is high on the agenda.

Yet, the more the concept of rule of law has been discussed, the more obvious it becomes that there is, today, much to be desired.