Page 5 - COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE FOURTH PLENARY SESSION OF THE 18TH CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF CHINA

Only through the law-based governance of China and insisting on the rule of
law, both under the leadership of the Party, can we ensure that the people fully act
as masters of the country, and can we steadily increase the level of rule of law in
the country and in society. To exercise state power based on law, the Party not only
has to govern the country in accordance with the Constitution and laws, but also
has to ensure that its self-governance is in line with its own rules and regulations.

It was made clear at the session that the major tasks of comprehensively
advancing the law-based governance of the country are as follows:

 to improve the socialist system of laws with Chinese characteristics, at the
heart of which is the Constitution, and strengthen the implementation of
the Constitution;

 to thoroughly advance the administration of government on the basis of
the law and accelerate our efforts to build a rule of law government;

 to ensure judicial impartiality and improve judicial credibility;

 to strengthen the notion of the rule of law among all Chinese people and
drive forward the development of a rule of law society;

 to raise the level of competence of rule of law professionals; and

 to strengthen and improve the Party’s leadership over efforts to
comprehensively advance the law-based governance of the country.

It was stated at the session that the law is an instrument of great value in the
governance of a country and good laws are a prerequisite for good governance.
To build a socialist rule of law system with Chinese characteristics, we must begin
with legislation, allowing legislation to play the role of guiding and driving forward
the development of rule of law, and focus on the key task of improving the
quality of legislation.

We must stick scrupulously to the idea of putting the people first in legislation
and making legislation for them, put into effect the core socialist values, and make
sure every piece of legislation is in keeping with the spirit of the Constitution,
reflects the will of the people, and is supported by them.

We need to follow the principles of justice, impartiality, and openness
throughout the whole legislative process, improve our legislative systems and
mechanisms, and place equal emphasis on making new laws, revising existing laws,
abolishing those that are unnecessary, and interpreting laws that need clarification
in order to make our legislation more up-to-date, systemic, targeted, and effective.

To uphold the law-based governance of the country, first we must adhere to

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