Officials are not above law

Leading officials at various levels have a key role to play in China's bid to realize the rule of law, says a People's Daily editorial.

At a recent seminar held for provincial and ministerial-level officials, President Xi Jinping pointed out the important responsibility that leading officials have in the country's efforts to promote the rule of law, and he outlined explicit ways they should play their role in this process.

They have played an important role in the push for China's governance in accordance with law since the reform and opening-up in 1978, especially since the 15th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 1997. However, some problems have also emerged, such as a poor awareness of rule of law and lax law enforcement, as well as failure to abide by the law and deliberately breaking the law. Some officials have also put administrative power above the law, intervened in judicial procedure and bent the law for their own purposes.