头条英文播报︱Rule of law sets tone for Party session

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Improving socialist system, modernizing capacity for governance CPC's major missions

Advancing the rule of law will play an important role in improving the socialist system with Chinese characteristics and the country's governance capacity, legal experts said.

The remarks were made before a key meeting of the central leadership, which runs from Monday to Thursday in Beijing.

At the opening of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th Communist Party of China Central Committee, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, delivered a work report on behalf of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

He also explained a draft document of the CPC Central Committee's decision on some major issues concerning how to uphold and improve the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and advance the modernization of China's system and capacity for governance.

No details of the work report or the draft decision were released on Monday.

At a meeting of the Political Bureau on Thursday, leaders agreed that upholding and improving the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernizing China's system and capacity for governance are major strategic missions for the Party.

To achieve these goals, a strong Party leadership and running the country by the rule of law must be upheld, according to a release from the meeting.

"To further advance the rule of law is an essential requirement and key guarantee for improving socialism with Chinese characteristics and governance capacity," said Ruan Chuansheng, a law professor at Shanghai Administration Institute.

In October 2014, the development of the rule of law was discussed as a major topic at the fourth plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee. It was the first time a plenary session of the CPC Central Committee had made the rule of law a central theme.

When the meeting concluded, a decision on "major issues concerning comprehensively advancing rule of law" was adopted that said China would work to build a law-abiding government and ensure the leadership of the CPC operated within "a socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics".

"It showed the significance of the rule of law for the country's development, and the high attention the central leadership pays to it," Ruan said, adding that he believed the issue will remain a topic at the ongoing plenary session.

"Advancing law-based governance is a long-term job," he added.

Progress made

Looking back over the past five years, Ma Yide, a law professor at Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, said the country has made great progress in Party building, legislation and fighting corruption.

On March 11, 2018, a constitutional amendment was adopted at the National People's Congress, the nation's top legislature, stipulating that, "the leadership of the Communist Party of China is the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics".

On March 17, 2018, Xi Jinping was elected Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission. After being elected, Xi took the solemn oath to uphold the Constitution — the first time a Chinese president took a public oath of allegiance to the document upon assuming office.

"The oath showed respect for the law and a strong determination to govern the country by the rule of law," Ma said.

Specific measures to uphold the Constitution actually started to be rolled out after the fourth plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee. On Nov 1, 2014, the NPC Standing Committee decided that every Dec 4 would be National Constitution Day.

Since then, various activities related to the Constitution and other laws were conducted across the country around Dec 4 every year, helping the public better understand, respect and abide by laws.

Another breakthrough in the rule of law in recent years was the adoption of the country's first Supervision Law in March 2018 — and the establishment of supervisory commissions across the country — which improved the country's supervisory system and intensified the fight against corruption.

The law stipulates the responsibilities, powers and means of investigating by supervisory commissions. Shuanggui, an intraparty disciplinary practice that requires a Party member to cooperate with questioning at a designated place and time, was scrapped.

Ruan said the new supervisory system serves as an important institutional tool to realize law-based governance and modernize State governance.

"It prevents supervisory commissions from abusing power, and protects the legitimate rights of people under investigation," he said.

Ruan said that in the past year, half or even more of the trainings and lessons he has given to supervisory commission officials have focused on the Supervision Law and its relevant laws, such as the Criminal Law and the Criminal Procedure Law.

"Awareness of them has been on the rise," he said.

Apart from the Supervision Law, the country has also adopted a large number of new laws and amended many others in the past five years.

Ma, also a national legislator, has participated in the creation of some of the new laws including the E-commerce Law and Foreign Investment Law.

"Our legislation has focused more on regulating the market, improving governance capacity and strengthening security, the environment and livelihoods," he said.

For example, the NPC revised the Environmental Protection Law and the Air Pollution Prevention Law and passed the Soil Pollution Prevention Law over the past five years.

Looking forward

Yang Weidong, a law professor at the Chinese Academy of Governance, said accomplishments in advancing the rule of law in recent years will contribute to the country's future development in various aspects.

The rule of law and the main theme of the ongoing meeting are inseparable, and they complement one another, he said.

Yang Xiaojun, another law professor at the academy, said, "I'm looking forward to seeing more specifics of advancing law-based governance discussed or issued at the plenary."

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记者：曹音

播报：Owen Fishwick

【阅读背景】

深入推进全面依法治国
——治理现代化的“中国智慧”

正是通过正确处理全面深化改革与全面依法治国的关系，我们确保社会在深刻变革中既生机勃勃又井然有序

推动中国特色社会主义制度更加成熟更加定型，就要更好推进全面依法治国，进一步完善治理体系、提升治理能力

今天的中国，法治贯穿于各个治理环节。为完善社区矫正，提出“社区矫正工作应当依法进行，尊重和保障人权”；针对未成年人犯罪，提出“实施分级预防，细化教育矫治措施”；基于档案工作逐渐转向数字管理的趋势，明确电子档案的法律效力……最近召开的全国人大常委会第十四次会议上，一系列具体领域的立法成为亮点。立法的精细化、精准化，正是中国法治建设进步的生动写照。

从某种意义上来说，推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化，也是制度文明不断发展的过程。而刚性的制度要顺利运转，必然离不开法治保障。从制定监察法到为疫苗管理进行专门立法，从审议民法典各分编草案到修改环境保护法、大气污染防治法，法治体系、制度体系越来越完善；从强调“法治是治国理政的基本方式”，到要求领导干部“提高运用法治思维和法治方式的能力”，再到宣示“改革开放越深入越要强调法治”，法治思维、法治理念日益深入人心。

党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央把全面依法治国纳入“四个全面”战略布局，不断以法治方式推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化。我们坚持依法治国，坚持法治国家、法治政府、法治社会一体建设，为解放和增强社会活力、促进社会公平正义、维护社会和谐稳定、确保党和国家长治久安发挥了重要作用。

依法治国是坚持和发展中国特色社会主义的本质要求和重要保障，是实现国家治理体系和治理能力现代化的必然要求。在深入推进全面依法治国进程中，我们“把权力关进制度的笼子里”，绝不允许以言代法、以权压法、逐利违法、徇私枉法；强调“依法治理是最可靠、最稳定的治理”，坚决杜绝“拍脑袋决策、拍胸脯表态、拍屁股走人”；要求“努力让人民群众在每一个司法案件中都能感受到公平正义”，推动司法公信力大幅提升。这些深刻变革，凝聚起全社会的法治信仰，筑牢了国家制度文明的基石。

推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化，我们面对的一个重要课题就是如何处理改革与法治的关系。改革要着力破除体制机制积弊，法治则更加重视维护法律权威和经济社会秩序的稳定。如何平衡？对此，习近平总书记强调，“改革和法治如鸟之两翼、车之两轮”。“凡属重大改革都要于法有据”，正因为要做到于法有据，我们坚持在法治轨道上统筹社会力量、平衡社会利益、调节社会关系、规范社会行为、化解社会矛盾，面对改革进入深水区、社会利益更加多元的局面，能够通过“一断于法”化解矛盾纠纷，获得公信力。可以说，正是通过正确处理全面深化改革与全面依法治国的关系，我们确保社会在深刻变革中既生机勃勃又井然有序。

法律是治国之重器，法治是国家治理体系和治理能力的重要依托。以即将实施的外商投资法为例，这部法律确立的一些新型外资管理制度，有的在实践中已初步建立并卓有成效，有的则提供了开创性的规定。及时总结实践中的好经验好做法，成熟的经验和做法可以上升为制度、转化为法律；实践条件还不成熟、需要先行先试的，按照法定程序作出授权；对不适应改革要求的法律法规，及时修改和废止。这种法治与治理的相互促进，贯穿新中国70年尤其是改革开放40多年的全过程。制度带有全局性、稳定性，管根本、管长远。今天，我们推动中国特色社会主义制度更加成熟更加定型，就要更好推进全面依法治国，进一步完善治理体系、提升治理能力。

“法者，治之端也”。在中国这样一个超大规模的发展中国家，中国共产党领导的全面依法治国，是中国历史上一次国家治理的深刻变革，也是中华民族走向伟大复兴的坚实保障。继续推进全面依法治国，就能让国家治理体系和治理能力现代化在法治轨道上不断前进，确保党和国家事业蓬勃发展、长治久安。（来源：人民日报）