Law's application, not debate, is the key

Never has rule of law been talked about so much in China's modern history. This is all because of the fourth plenary session of the 18th Party Central Committee in October, which for the first time in the history of its national plenary sessions made "governing according to law" its major topic.

But the paradox is the more the rule of law becomes a hot topic in public discourse, the more explicit it becomes that more needs to be done to turn it into a reality. Yet what makes China's rule of law different from its counterpart in the West are the modifiers: that it is under the leadership of the Communist Party of China and with Chinese characteristics.

This means that the establishment of the rule of law should never be meant to challenge the ruling position of the Communist Party of China. Instead, the rule of law will try to make as many leading officials as possible perform their duties in accordance with the law, which will help consolidate the leading position of the Party as a result.