Party strengthening law-based governance

China has made remarkable achievements in advancing law-based governance and establishing socialist rule of law since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012. It has accumulated precious experience over the past decade and will use it to more vigorously develop the rule of law, so as to modernize the country's governance system.

In particular, over the past 10 years, the development of law-based governance has made significant progress in three areas.

First, Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law is the first comprehensive thought on the rule of law formulated by a Party leader. It adapts Marxist theories on the rule of law to the Chinese context to advance law-based governance, as well as recognizes the Party's need for law-based governance.

Second, China has been promoting law-based governance for 25 years since the 15th National Congress of the CPC in 1997 decided to build a socialist country governed by rule of law. The country started comprehensively promoting the rule of law and strengthening the weak links, especially after the Fourth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, which in 2014 decided to advance the rule of law.

Since the launch of reform and opening-up, China's measures to establish the rule of law has included enacting laws, and ensuring they are strictly observed and enforced, and those violating them are held accountable. Currently, efforts are being made to enact sound laws, strictly enforce those laws and deliver fair justice. Efforts will continue to be made also to combine the rule of law with law-based governance of the country and rule-based governance of the Party.

In fact, the Party is pursuing coordinated progress in law-based governance, law-based exercise of State power, and law-based government administration, and promoting the integrated development of the rule of law for the country, the government and society. Also, the Party has vowed to establish socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics, by using the CPC's rules to strengthen the rule of law.

And third, the work mechanism of the CPC leadership on advancing the rule of law has improved. For example, the Fourth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee was the first such important meeting to discuss the comprehensive development of the rule of law. And the Commission for Comprehensive Law-based Governance of the CPC Central Committee was established in 2018 to develop a top-level design to advance law-based governance in all areas.

In 2018, again, the National People's Congress Law Committee was renamed as the NPC Constitution and Law Committee to underline the supremacy of the Constitution and more strictly implement the Constitution. And the CPC Central Committee issued the first regulation on the Party's politico-legal work to strengthen the CPC leadership's efforts to advance the rule of law, in order to facilitate the overall development of the rule of law.

The country should adhere to Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, not least because it sets forth requirements for the current and future work on law-based governance. And Party committees at various levels must become the key driving force of advancing the rule of law and local Party secretaries should shoulder the major responsibility for that.

Besides, the authorities should give full play to the initiatives of the people, as they are the basic foundation and key elements that will advance the rule of law. In fact, people should be encouraged to participate, supervise and evaluate the development of the rule of law through various means and be the final judge and beneficiary of such a development.

Undoubtedly, China will attach greater importance to advancing the rule of law, especially to promote social and economic development, and create a better environment for businesses and help sharpen their core competitiveness.

Moreover, China will promote law-based governance in all fields, and more laws will likely be enacted and more practitioners will work in various entities. And the future emphasis will be on advancing the rule of law in grassroots Party organizations due to their growing administrative power.

Therefore, one of the tasks of advancing the rule of law will be to provide legally binding guarantees against possible abuse of power by grassroots Party organizations, which in essence reflects China's efforts to strengthen the rule of law in all areas.

Since the Commission for Comprehensive Law-based Governance of the CPC Central Committee was established in 2018, Party committees at various levels have been attaching greater importance to promoting the rule of law by optimizing resource allocation.

The Party does and will exercise stronger leadership over the promotion of the rule of law in all areas.

The author is a professor of politics and law at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee. The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

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