The Central Conference on Work for Comprehensively Ruling the Country According to Law was an epoch-making milestone in the history of constructing the rule of law for the Party and the country. The most important achievement of this conference was that it made clear the guiding position of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law in work for comprehensively ruling the country according to law. It was a major event of great practical significance and far-reaching historical significance in the process of constructing socialist rule of law in China. Setting off a wave of studying, publicizing and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law has become an important political task for the whole Party at present and for some time to come. 

Since the 18th Party Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has positioned, laid out and enforced the rule of law from the overall and strategic perspective of adherence to, and development of, socialism with Chinese characteristics, and has creatively put forward a series of new ideas and new strategies for comprehensively ruling the country according to law, thus forming Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law. Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law is the latest achievement of combining Marxist theory on the rule of law with China’s realities, and is 21st century Marxist thought on the rule of law. It is the fundamental guidance to follow for promoting the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity on the rule of law path, and an ideological banner to lead China’s rule of law construction toward the achievement of greater development in the new era. Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law is wide-ranging and deep, commandingly well-positioned, rich in content, and intellectually profound. We must deeply study and thoroughly understand Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, deeply comprehend its major significance, essential spirit and practical requirements, constantly strengthen awareness of the rule of law, and improve rule of law capability. 

Fully recognize the major significance and far-reaching impact of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law 

Through the penetration of historical and current reality, correlation of domestic and international affairs, and combination of theoretical and practical matters, Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law profoundly answers a series of major questions, such as why implement and how to implement ruling the country according to law in the new era, and exhibits four types of landmark significance. 

In terms of theoretical significance, Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law has opened up new horizons in Marxist governance theory, demonstrating theoretical leadership force, and marking a historic leap in Marxist thought on the rule of law. Our Party has led the people in formulating and implementing constitutional laws since the establishment of revolutionary bases, and has continuously promoted China’s adaptation of Marxist theory on the rule of law during the course of nearly 100 years of revolution, reconstruction and reform. Since the 18th Party Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has taken the capacity for profound insights and theoretical creativity of Marxist statesmen, theoreticians and strategists, adhered to the Marxist position, viewpoint and methodology, and addressed a series of major issues in the construction of China’s socialist rule of law, thereby enriching and developing Marxist theory on the rule of law 

In terms of practical significance, Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law has expanded the new road of socialist rule of law, demonstrating practical guiding force, and marking a comprehensive expansion of the construction of China under the rule of law. Over a long period, our Party has distilled and applied successful experience in leading the people on implementing the rule of law, actively carried out socialist rule of law construction, and forged a path of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics. Since the 18th Party Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has closely combined the new era’s conditions and practical requirements, strengthened the Party’s centralized and unified leadership on comprehensively ruling the country according to law, and steadily perfected the system of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics. Construction of a socialist rule of law state has thus undergone historic changes and made historic achievements. The foundation of these reforms and achievements is the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era, especially Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law. 

In terms of historical significance, Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law has given new connotations to Chinese rule of law civilization, demonstrating historical penetrating force, and marking a creative transformation of China’s excellent traditional legal culture. Chinese rule of law civilization has a long and rich history, and the Chinese legal system is unique among the five major legal systems in the world, possessing great creativity and influence. General Secretary Xi Jinping has profoundly distilled the successes and failures of China’s ancient legal system, explored and vouchsafed the essence of China’s excellent traditional legal culture, and promoted: The national governance strategy of “to depart from rites [social norms and formal rules] is to enter the scope of punishment, and both rites and laws should be respected;” the people-oriented concept of “the state will only be at peace if the people are the foundation of the state, and that foundation is solid;” the value-based pursuit of “a world without litigation, where harmony is the most cherished virtue,” and the cautions punishment philosophy of “ruling mainly with virtue, supplemented by punishment, and championing virtue while punishing prudently,” thereby endowing Chinese rule of law civilization with new connotations for our times and giving it a new vitality. Chinese rule of law civilization has thus taken on new life. 

In terms of global significance, Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law contributes new wisdom for maintaining the international rule of law order, demonstrating global influence, and marking an epochal advance in the rule of law civilization of mankind. The CCP is a party that works for the happiness of the Chinese people and struggles for the cause of human progress. The CCP has always taken making new and greater contributions to humanity as its mission. General Secretary Xi Jinping has coordinated the two major situations, domestic and international, integrated domestic rule of law and rule of law involving foreign countries, and firmly established a perspective encompassing all mankind. He has held high the banner of open cooperation, mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, and put forward the concept of building a community of common destiny for mankind, pointing the direction for dealing with global challenges and moving toward a better and brighter future, while countering the “law of the jungle” and self-important, winner-takes-all historical countercurrents such as unilateralism and bullying. It has contributed Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to promote the reform of global governance. 

The creation of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law fully shows that the CCP has reached a new historical height in its understanding of socialist rule of law construction and the fundamental laws governing the development of rule of law civilization for mankind. The light of its ideas will illuminate the future, and the power of its truth will have far-reaching influence. It will surely promote the vitality and prosperity of 21st century Marxism and Marxist thought on the rule of law in the vast land of China, and will surely fortify and build up the foundation for consolidating and expanding “Chinese governance” and realizing the great achievement of the long-term peace and stability of the Party and the country. It will better guide people of all ethnic groups nationwide in their new journey to achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the comprehensive construction of a modernized socialist country. 

Deeply understand the essential spirit of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law 

Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law is a logically rigorous and complete system that is rich in connotations and profound in its exposition. As to its main aspects, they are what General Secretary Xi Jinping, in his important speech at the Central Conference on Work for Comprehensively Ruling the Country According to Law, insightfully summarized as the “eleven adherences.” These “eleven adherences” are both important strategic ideas and major work deployments. We must study and comprehend them deeply, and understand seven aspects of their essential spirit. 

Deeply understand the essential spirit of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law General Secretary Xi Jinping has stressed the need to fully implement the spirit of the 19th Party Congress and the second, third, fourth and fifth plenary sessions of the 19th CCP Central Committee, build a socialist state under the rule of law, and adhere to the organic unity of the Party’s leadership, the people’s sovereignty, and ruling the country according to law, centered around the general goal of building a socialist rule of law system with Chinese characteristics. Taking the resolution of outstanding problems in the rule of law field as the focus, we must unswervingly follow the path of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics, and promote modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity in alignment with the rule of law, in order to provide strong rule of law-based assurance for building a modernized socialist state and achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. We must: Firmly grasp the overall goals, which are to build a rule of law system for socialism with Chinese characteristics; accelerate the formation of a complete system of legal norms, an efficient rule of law implementation system, a strict rule of law supervision system, a strong rule of law protection system, and a sound system of internal party regulations; and comprehensively promote scientific legislation, strict law enforcement, impartial justice, and universal compliance with the law, thereby building a socialist state under the rule of law. Firmly grasping the points of emphasis, dare to take on tough challenges, dare to navigate dangerous shoals, and dare to take a knife to the stubborn ailments that have accumulated over many years; and continue to promote reform in rule of law fields, and solve the conspicuous problems in those fields. Firmly grasping the basic path, we must adhere to the organic unity of the Party’s leadership, the people’s sovereignty and ruling the country according to law, and unswervingly take the road of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics, so as to promote modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity in alignment with the rule of law. 

It is necessary to deeply understand the political direction indicated by Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law. Since the 18th Party Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made a profound exposition centered around where to go and which path to take for ruling the country according to law, indicating the direction of progress, and thus pointing the way forward. We must: Adhere to the Party’s leadership as the fundamental guarantee, improve the system and working mechanisms of the Party’s leadership in ruling the country according to law, and promote the institutionalization and rule of law-basis of the Party’s leadership, so as to ensure the effective implementation of the Party’s lines, principles and policies through the rule of law. Adhere to being people-centered as the essential requirement, and actively respond to the people’s new requirements and expectations; systematically study and plan to solve the conspicuous problems in rule of law fields reflected strongly among the public, and constantly strengthen the people’s sense of access, well-being and security, using the rule of law to ensure that people live and work in peace and happiness. Adhere to the path of the socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics being the only correct path; starting from China’s national conditions and realities, take a path to the rule of law that is suited to ourselves, never copying the models or practices of other countries, and never taking Western paths of so-called “constitutional government,” “separation of powers,” or “judicial independence.” 

It is necessary to deeply understand the strategic positioning laid out in Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law. Out of the long-range considerations of adhering to and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics, achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and realizing the long-term peace and stability of the Party and the country, General Secretary Xi Jinping has elaborated in detail the strategic positioning of comprehensively ruling the country according to law. Deeply understand the important significance of ruling the country according to law: It is an essential requirement and important assurance for socialism with Chinese characteristics; it is a major strategic task proposed by our Party for better governance from the perspective of adhering to and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics; and it is an overall issue concerning our Party’s governance and rejuvenation of the country. Deeply understand the important status of comprehensively ruling the country according to law: It is the basic strategy for the Party to lead the people in governing the country, playing a fundamental and protective role in the “Four-pronged Comprehensive Strategy,” and it will promote the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity in alignment with the rule of law. Deeply understand the important role of ruling the country according to law: On the new journey of coordinating and advancing great struggles, great projects, great undertakings, and great dreams, and building a modernized socialist country in an all-round way, we must make better use of the role of the rule of law in securing the foundation, stabilizing expectations, and benefiting the long-term. 

It is necessary to deeply understand the work deployments established by Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law. Based on a profound distillation of China’s socialist rule of law construction and an accurate grasp of the new requirements posed by the new era and by new developments in practice, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made strategic deployments and overall arrangements for comprehensively ruling the country according to law. Adhering to taking construction of the socialist rule of law system of with Chinese characteristics as the general starting point, we must: Form a complete system of legal norms, and accelerate promotion of legislation in important fields; Form an efficient rule of law implementation system, deeply promote administering according to law, and punish all kinds of criminal offenses according to law; Form a strict rule of law supervision system, accelerate the Party’s internal supervision, supervision of the National People’s Congress, democratic supervision, administrative supervision, judicial supervision and public opinion supervision, and innovate in intelligent management supervision; Form a strong rule of law protection system, and build a of high-quality legal work team with both integrity and talent; And form a sound system of internal party regulations to improve our ability to execute the Party’s internal regulations. We must adhere to jointly advancing ruling the country according to law, governing according to law, and administering according to law, with the unified construction of a rule of law-based country, government and society taken as a systematic project. Focusing on the rule of law as the goal, and taking the Party’s governing according to law and governments at all levels administering according to law as the key, achieve scientific legislation, strict law enforcement, impartial justice and universal compliance with the law, and promote the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity. Highlighting the key point of rule of law-based government, use the rule of law to set rules and boundaries for administrative powers, and standardize administrative decision-making procedures, promote strictly regulated, fair and civilized law enforcement, and improve the level of administering according to law. Strengthen the foundation of a rule of law-based society, implement the responsibility system for law popularization wherein “those who enforce the law shall popularize the law,” strengthen rule of law education for youths, and constantly improve the rule of law awareness and rule of law literacy of all citizens. 

We must deeply understand the key tasks set out in Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law. General Secretary Xi Jinping has not only pointed the way forward for us on comprehensively ruling the country according to law, but has also marked out the strategic key points for comprehensively ruling the country according to law. We must firmly grasp the primary task of adhering to ruling the country and governing according to the constitution. We must: Uphold the dignity of the Constitution, guarantee implementation of the Constitution, take the Constitution as the fundamental guideline for activities, adhere unwaveringly to the leading position of the CCP as determined by the Constitution, and adhere unwaveringly to the state system of the people’s democratic dictatorship and the system of people’s congresses as determined by the Constitution. Firmly grasp the important links of scientific legislation, strict law enforcement, impartial justice, and abidance with the law by all the people. We must improve the quality of legislation, implement the administrative law enforcement responsibility system, deepen comprehensive reform of the judicial system, build a socialist rule of law culture, and cultivate a rule of law environment in which the whole society acts according to the law, turns to the law when problems are encountered, uses the law to solve problems, and relies on the law to resolve conflicts. Firmly grasp the urgent need for coordinated promotion of domestic rule of law and the rule of law for foreign-related matters. We must: Refine legislation in foreign-related fields to strengthen foreign-related legal service safeguards and serve higher levels of opening up to the outside; strengthen international cooperation in the field of law enforcement and security; firmly uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter as the core of the international order and the international system, and promote the reform of global governance. 

We must deeply understand the major relationships set forth in Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law. On the path of adhering to and developing socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics, General Secretary Xi Jinping has profoundly set forth a number of major relationships, sweeping away the related ideological confusion, and providing us with scientific methodological guidance. To correctly deal with the relationship between the party and the law, deeply understand that “Which is supreme, the Party or the law?” is a political trap and a false proposition. The party’s leadership is the soul of China’s socialist rule of law. This is the biggest difference between China’s rule of law and the rule of law in Western capitalist countries. To correctly handle the relationship between politics and ruling the country according to law, deeply understand that the Party’s leadership and the rule of law are highly unified: Socialist rule of law must adhere to the Party’s leadership, and the Party’s leadership must rely on socialist rule of law. To correctly deal with the relationship between reform and the rule of law, deeply understand that reform and the rule of law go hand in hand and advance simultaneously. We must adhere to promoting reform under the rule of law and refining the rule of law in the midst of reform. To correctly deal with the relationship between ruling the country according to law and ruling the country according to morality, one must attach importance to fully utilizing the normative role of law, and also to fully utilizing the role of morality, thereby achieving complementarity between the rule of law and morality, with each complementing the other. To correctly deal with the relationship between ruling the country according to law and governing the Party according to regulations, one must fully utilize the complementary roles played by ruling the country according to law and governing the Party according to regulations, ensuring both that the Party rules the country and governs based on the Constitution and laws, and that the Party is strictly governed based on the Party’s internal laws and regulations. 

We must deeply understand the important assurances stressed in Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law. Since the 18th Party Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made important statements and put forward clear requirements with regard to heightening the rule of law awareness and rule of law capacity of leading cadres, and building a high-quality rule of law team with both integrity and talent. We must: Push leading cadres to be good “pacesetters,” setting the pace on studying and publicizing implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, and setting the pace on respecting the law and the rule of law. They must understand the law, master the law, and constantly improve their ability to use thought on the rule of law to deepen reform, promote development, resolve conflicts, maintain stability and handle risks, serving as models in the studying, observation and use of the law. Push political and legal affairs teams to be good “leaders,” accelerate efforts to make construction more revolutionary, regularized, specialized and professional, deeply carry out work on the education and rectification of the national political and legal team, strengthening their ideological refinement, political honing, practical tempering and professional training, and constantly improving their professional competence and ability to perform their duties and be loyal to the party, so that they are loyal to the state, the people and the law. Push the legal service team to be good “builders,” and make supporting the leadership of the CCP and China’s socialist rule of law a fundamental requirement for legal service personnel to practice their profession. We must strengthen the education, management and guidance of legal service workers, and push them to adhere to the correct political direction, practice with integrity and in accordance with laws and regulations, conscientiously fulfill their social responsibilities, and devote themselves to the construction of a socialist state under the rule of law. We must also push law school students to be good “successors,” promote the reform and development of law schools, increase efforts on foreign-related legal education, and improve the quality of talent cultivation, so as to cultivate rule of law talents for the new era who are both red and professional. 

Practical requirements for fully implementing Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law 

To thoroughly implement ruling the country according to law, we must adhere to the Party’s centralized and unified leadership. Party committees and governments at all levels must enhance organizational leadership of rule of law-related construction. Major deployments, important tasks and key work must all be held securely in hand, ensuring they are put into practice. We must strengthen the “Four Consciousnesses,” buttress the “Four Matters of Confidence,” and achieve the “Two Upholds.” The study and implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law must be consciously combined with study and implementation of the spirit of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CCP Central Committee, and united with implementation of the planning outline for rule of law construction. The entire process and all aspects of political and legal work must be consciously implemented so that it becomes a theoretical beacon and ideological flag to lead the work of political and legal work in the new era. 

We must learn inner “faith,” and believe more firmly in the path of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics. The Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission should take Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law as key study content of the Theoretical Study Center Group, organize and hold study classes for leadership groups, seminars for leading political and legal affairs cadres, and training courses for new local and municipal political and legal affairs secretaries, pushing them to study of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law to a deep level, take it to heart, and put it in real situations, so they learn firm faith, learn absolute loyalty, and learn to shoulder missions. We must push the central political and legal affairs units to develop special study and training programs, use online-offline combination and other innovative methods, and carry out entire-front, full-coverage training rotation, so that the broad masses of political and legal affairs cadres accurately grasp the essence of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law. We must make the study of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law an important part of the education and rectification of political and legal affairs teams, so as to further enhance the rule of law awareness and ability of political and legal affairs cadres. We must push to make the study of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law a key course in party schools (administration institutes) and cadre colleges, so as to constantly deepen ideological understanding and build a solid theoretical foundation. 

We must: Speak with the “taste of truth,” guiding and inspiring the broad masses of political and legal affairs cadres to accelerate the practice of ruling the country according to law; Collaborate promotion on integrating Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law into school education and into the systems of colleges and universities for teaching rule of law theory, and do a good job of getting it into teaching materials, into classrooms, and into minds; Continue running the China Political and Legal Practice Lecture Hall well, preaching in depth to the broad masses of law school teachers and students on the indisputable power of the truth of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law; Consider holding a lecture hall series for the political and legal system nationwide on the study of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, in order to push the broad masses of political and legal cadres to deeply study and thoroughly understand Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law. Fully utilizing new media for political and legal affairs, we must enhance the influence of propaganda and education through media reporting, commentary and opinion, theoretical essays, videos and other methods, and push to deeply root Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law in people’s hearts. We must promote combining propaganda on Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law with activities such as law popularization work and creation of model rule of law-based governments, and exploit the role of various grass-roots law popularization forces on the front lines. 

We must study and put into practice “true knowledge,” and through annual “Ten Big Questions” surveys, improve competency in applying Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law to resolve major issues. In terms of theory, we must do a good job of holding seminars on Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law for leading political and legal affairs cadres at the provincial and ministerial levels, to further promote theoretical innovation. Centered around the “eleven adherences,” we must establish a set of important topics in need of research, organize in-depth research by legal experts and law practitioners, and put forward a number of substantial research achievements. Analysis and refutation of wrong ideas in the field of the rule of law should be strengthened to help cadres and the masses distinguish right from wrong, and to bolster confidence in taking the path of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics. In terms of practice, to address problems where some law enforcement and judicial personnel do not act, act chaotically, use power or pervert the law for personal gain, act as “umbrellas” for underworld forces, etc., in-depth investigation and research to find the crux of such problems should be carried out, and ways and means to solve them should be proposed. 

To bring out the “highlights” of the rule of law, effective rule of law-based assurances must be provided for building China into a modernized socialist country in an all-round way. Centered around political security, we must build a “brick wall” to prevent infiltration and subversive damage by outside hostile forces, and clear away soil that would compromise political security. Centered around social stability, we must: Step up promotion of social governance modernization, build a “front-line command” for the social governance of urban areas to ensure that large contradictions and risks are defused within urban areas; adhere to, innovate and develop the “Fengqiao experience” for the new era, building a “front-line fighting fortress” of grass-roots governance to ensure that small contradictions and problems are defused at the grassroots level. Centered around the people’s peace, we shall promote the normalization of the fight against underworld forces, crack down rigorously on criminal offenses, weave a tight public security net, and ceaselessly enhance the people’s sense of security. Centered around deepening comprehensive reform of the judicial responsibility system, we will strengthen of law enforcement and judicial power constraints and supervision, standardize the operation of law enforcement and judicial power, and raise case handling quality and efficiency. Centered around political and legal affairs team construction, education and rectification of political and legal affairs teams nationwide shall be carried out in depth, to create an iron political and legal affairs army for the new era that lets the Party Central Committee rest assured and meets the people’s satisfaction. 

We must forge “iron shoulders” for shouldering responsibility, and press the political and legal affairs system to fully discharge its responsibilities for building China under the rule of law. Centered around the important deployments and requirements General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward in this conference, coupled with the actual conditions of political and legal affairs work, we shall draw up implementation plans, make a list of tasks, and clearly define the division of responsibilities, so that tasks are grasped one-by-one, truly and to completion, ensuring that the tasks take root. We must promote high performance implementation by all departments, and constantly raise the degree to which work in all fields is rule of law-based. And we must promote high-quality integration on the part of rule of law coordinating agencies, actively perform integrated coordination, supervision and inspection, and push for responsibilities to be put into practice, in order to find and solve major problems.