Research on the Scientific Meaning of Rule of Law in China

Beyond the existing academic viewpoints, clarifying the scientific meaning of the rule of law in China in the binary interaction between subject and object is the prerequisite for reifying the rule of law in China from an abstract symbol to a logic in action. The subject dimension of rule of law in China subsumes the legal consciousness, self confidence, independence and self-improvement of the subject. The object dimension of the rule of law in China focuses the relation mode and governance pattern between right and power. In the dimension of time, the rule of law in China is the unification of history and reality of China model. In the dimension of space, the rule of law in China is committed to seeking the right to speech, governance, management and development from the perspective of globalization.

Enhancing the Rule of Law in China,Improving Judicial Protection for Human Rights

The Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China （CPC） was a vi-tally important meeting during the decisive stage of China constructing a well-off society in an all-round way. It endorsed the CPC Central Committee＇s ＂Decision on Certain Key Issues on Comprehensively Deepening Reform＂ （hereafter, ＂the decision.＂） The decision condensed the thinking and wisdom of the entire Party and society regarding comprehensively deepening reform and made a series of new breakthroughs in theory and politics related to reform.

Building the Rule of Law in China

HISTORIANS give us many reasons for the collapse of the Qing Dynasty （1644-1911）. In one form or another, nearly all of these come back to the inabil- ity to change or meet new challenges. But if the hall- mark of the dynasty was its inability to change, then a case can be made that the opposite has been true of the Communist Party of China （CPC）. In modern times,

Commentary on the Newly Published White Paper Concerning the Rule of Law in China

On February 28, 2008, the State Council Information Office published a white paper entitled China＇s Efforts and Achievements in Promoting the Rule of Law. This document is the first white paper published by the government on China＇s rule of law. It contains eight chapters and six appendices to review China＇s achievements on the road to practicing the rule of law in a compre- hensive way, and to expound the official Chinese policy and position on this is- sue. With some essential points inside, the publication of this white paper is of great significance, especially this year, to China＇s rule of law, human rights prog- ress, and its communication and dialogue with the international community.

The Rule of Law in Foreign-Related Affairs in Building China into a Great Modern Country

The call to advance the rule of law in foreign-related affairs is an important component of China's strategic move to a great modern country.In modern times,Western countries have applied rule of law practices in their modernization,demonstrating the values of a sound rule of law system for national strength.In particular,the rule of law,extended beyond national borders,provides a crucial guarantee for a great modern country's sustained,stable,and healthy path,and is also a clear symbol of a country's soft power.As China is progressing to become a great modern country,there is a need to pay a particularly close attention to the rule of law,actively promoting the legalization of foreign-related work.China's stance on the rule of law in foreign-related affairs should include both a principle of defending its core interests and a principle of advocating shared values and of promoting mutually beneficial cooperation.In the context of this era,China's international law professional community should delve into appropriate models that can facilitate smooth progress on the path to modernization,further enhancing the rule of law in China and the successful emergence of a great modern country.

Promoting Chinese Modernization of the Rule of Law and a New Form of Human Advancement of the Rule of Law-Interpretation of the Essence of the Rule of Law of the Report to the 20th National Congress of Communist Party of China

One of the significant theoretical contributions of the Report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China(CPC)is a well-conceived systematic Chinese modernization theory,which is developed based on the profound summarization of the successful experience of Chinese modernization,and on the modernization theories of China and other countries.Chinese modernization of the rule of law,a section of the lawbased Chinese modernization,focuses on the subject of rule of law.Breaking the myth of Western centralism,it creates a new model of modernization of the rule of law and produces a revolutionary effect on the modernization of the rule of law modernization in the world.It presents distinctive Chinese features and Chinese vision.Led by the CPC,it is an independent exploration,people-centered,organized,and planned,and has lofty value goals.Driven by modern science and technology forworld peace and development,the principal task of Chinese modernization of the rule of law is to create a system of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics and a new form of human advancement of the rule of law.Its great mission is to build China into a modern socialist country in all respects under the rule of law,ensuring that the rule of law runs through all areas and aspects of national governance and construction,so that building China into a great modern socialist country with the high-quality rule of law can be guaranteed.

SPECIAL ISSUE： RULE OF LAW--CHINA AND THE WORLD International Rule of Law and Rule of Law Construction in China

The rule of law has international as well as domestic attributes, so it can be divided into two levels： the domestic rule of law and the international rule of law. Using the thinking behind the international rule of law to build the rule of law in China is both necessary and inevitable. China should put into practice the idea of the international rule of law at the institutional and the governance levels, and should at the same time participate in the UN＇s rule of law activities and in international rule-making, thereby extending its rule of law discourse power and influence in the international sphere.

The Role of Consultative Democracy in a Constitutional System and the Rule of Law in China

The rule of law in China should be advanced under a systems framework. The systems framework on which the Chinese rule of law relies is shaped by the socialist democratic system. Socialist consultative democracy, which responds to the core themes of the determinant of socialism, Party leadership, the democratic tradition of New China and native resources for constructing the rule of law, is an important resource for constructing the rule of law in China. In a constitutional system of＂ruling Party--political power--the people＂ that takes the sovereignty of the people as the logic of its starting point, consultative democracy plays the role of functional coupling. Popular sovereignty gains political legitimacy on the basis of multi- party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC, thus translating the will of the ruling Party into the will of the state. Consultative democracy constitutes an essential process in national decision-making, affording a basis for the construction of the inherent logical sequence of ＂ruling Party--Consultative Conference--People＇s Congress.＂ The democratic supervision exercised by the Consultative Conference is an extension of political consultation; from it unfolds the systems framework of the rule of law in China.

Worldview and Methodology of Advancing the Construction of the Rule of Law in China

This work discusses a worldview and a methodology concerning ideological approaches by which Marxists can understand and transform the world,based on well-defined value truth,theory and philosophy.The work builds on the Report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China(CPC),which highlights the following priorities to which XI Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era must adhere:putting the people first,maintaining self-confidence and self-reliance,upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground,adopting a problem-oriented approach,applying system thinking,and maintaining a global vision.Furthermore,this work argues that these priorities should be applied to promote the rule of law in China’s new journey.As the starting points of analysis and understanding,the meta-theory and“six must-dos”follow the general principles of Marxism in interpreting and promoting socialist concepts,theory,law-based path and legal system in the New Era with Chinese characteristics.The metatheory and the“six must-dos”provide the logical foundations and fundamental compliance with XI Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law.Only by applying these“six must-dos”well can we understand and implement XI Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law,enhance the rationality,initiative,foresight and creativity of our work in comprehensively promoting the rule of law in China.

Promoting the Modernization of China’s Governance System and Capacity in Line with the Rule of Law

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China(CPC)held in 2012,XI Jinping,General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee,has made a series of vital expositions on the promotion of modernization of the national governance system and capacity in line with the rule of law.The law is the most important tool for governing a country,and the rule of law supports the national governance process and capacity.Promoting the rule of law on all fronts is an essential requirement for developing socialism with Chinese characteristics and promoting the modernization of the national governance system and capacity.Comprehensive law-based governance in all areas should be promoted to advance the modernization of national governance.Furthermore,law-based thinking and methods should be used to address difficulties and challenges faced in this modernization process.

Rule of Law Construction and Assessment at the Local Level

Going beyond the analytical model of the holistic state in rule of law discussion, we can classify the rule of law into national and local levels based on the stages and increments of its execution. The phenomenon of the local rule of law reflects the stages and incremental progress of building a rule of law China. It has a realistic foundation in society and a profound basis in legal theory. Comprehensively advancing the rule of law in China necessitates giving encouragement and support to construction of the rule of law at the local level. The attempts and experiments of local government enable us to explore and innovate the developmental model of the socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics. The rule of law at the local level is embodied in three dimensions： ＂text--action---concept.＂ Assessment mechanisms and indicators for the local construction of the rule of law should also be established in accordance with this framework. The building of the rule of law at the local level should be synchronized with assessment of the rule of law. We need to optimize top-level design, conduct evaluations of local legislation, improve local rule of law work performance assessment and use a nile of law index to assess the local rule of law in an overall manner.

THE FIRST CENTURY OF MAGNA CARTA IN CHINA： AN ACADEMIC HISTORY FROM 1840＇S TO 1940＇S

Magna Carta was introduced into China around the mid-19th century under the context that learning from the West was then a trend for Chinese politicians and the academia to modernize China. The English constitutionalism originating from Magna Carta was considered as one of the models for China to reference. Even though the constitutional reform in the late Qing Dynasty failed to establish the constitutionalism in China, the strive for rule of law and democracy in China was never disrupted from then on. In the first century of Magna Carta＇s introduction into China, the academia used the ideas of constitutional rights, the rule of law embedded in Magna Carta to influence constitutionality in China, especially to push forward the protection of human rights and democracy. Even though the constitutionalism was not finally established in the Republic of China, the research on Magna Carta inspired the idea of constitutionalism in China. In addition, the Chinese academia realized that what China should learn was the spirit of Magna Carta, and that the construction of Chinese constitutionalism shall be based on the context of Chinese history and culture.