Party to have stronger rule of law role

CPC must lead the effort, Xi tells first meeting of governance commission

President Xi Jinping called on Friday for strengthening the centralized and unified leadership of the Communist Party of China in advancing law-based governance in all areas.

Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remark while presiding over the first meeting of the Commission for Law-based Governance of the CPC Central Committee. Xi is director of the commission.

Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu and Wang Huning, members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and deputy directors of the commission, also attended the meeting.

The leaders reviewed and adopted the rules for the commission’s work and the commission’s working plan for this year. They also reviewed the draft amendments on the law of the organization of courts and the law of the organization of procuratorates.

Noting that China is experiencing a period in which the time frames of the “Two Centenary Goals” converge, Xi said the Party’s leadership over law-based governance must be strengthened to uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The centenary goals are to finish building a moderately prosperous society by the time the CPC celebrates its centenary in 2021 and to turn China into a modern socialist country by the time the People’s Republic of China celebrates its centenary in 2049.

The CPC Central Committee’s decision to establish the Commission for Law-based Governance of the CPC Central Committee arose from the need for implementing the spirit of the CPC’s 19th National Congress, which was held in October, and the need for strengthening the Party’s unified and centralized leadership over advancing the rule of law, Xi said.

Xi called for improving relevant systems and continuing the push to establish institutions and make relevant laws to strengthen the Party’s leadership over the rule of law.

The new ideas, new thinking and new strategies put forward since the Party’s 18th National Congress, including strengthening the Party’s leadership over the rule of law and ensuring the principal status of the people, must be upheld in the long run and developed continuously, Xi said.

The president also said plans must be made to implement the initiative to build the rule of law in China. The plans should be made in a scientific manner with comprehensive factors — including the country’s economic and social development, the general process of building rule of law, and the people’s changing needs — taken into consideration, Xi said.

Xi stressed the importance of implementing the Constitution, saying that a campaign should be launched to call on the whole of society to respect, learn, abide by, safeguard and use the Constitution.

Local authorities must fulfill their duties to advance law-based governance and carry out the decisions made by the CPC Central Committee, Xi said.