Party disciplines complementary to rule of law

The rule of law and strictly regulating the Party are two of "Four Comprehensives" put forward by the top leader Xi Jinping recently as a blueprint for realizing the rejuvenation of the nation.

A better understanding of the relationship between the rule of law and strictly regulating the Party will help people better understand China's anti-corruption campaign and why it will continue.

Some deem that the ruling Communist Party of China is superior to the rule of law, and the policies and guidelines mapped out by the Party, including its disciplines, are superior to the State's laws. This view conforms to China's decades-long reform and opening-up practices. The Party first drafted the policies and guidelines to push forward reform, and then the law was revised to fit the changes brought about when the reform was developed to a certain stage; which turned the Party's policies into national operative norms.