Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law

Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law (Chinese: 习近平法治思想) is the current doctrine of the People's Republic of China regarding law. It is a part of the larger Xi Jinping Thought, which is derived from the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping. It was established during the Central Conference on Comprehensively Promoting the Rule of Law, held in November 2020.

History

Further information: Law of the People's Republic of China

The first Central Conference on Comprehensively Promoting the Rule of Law in the Chinese Communist Party's history was held from November 16 to 17, 2020. Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law was first proposed and established during the conference defined as the guiding ideology for comprehensively promoting the rule of law.^[1][2][3] The conference also instructed the whole country to study the Thought as "one of the pivotal pillars of the ideological complex that supports the country in the years to come".^[4]

In June 2021, the Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Rule of Law was established in the China Law Society with the approval of the CCP Central Committee. At a speech during the launch, China Law Society Director Wang Chen called the Thought "the latest achievement in the Sinicization of Marxist theory on the rule of law".^[5]

Content

According to the Central Conference on Comprehensively Promoting the Rule of Law, Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law is made up of "eleven insistences".^[6] These are insisting on:^[2]

1. Party's leadership in comprehensively promoting the rule of law;
2. putting people at the center;
3. path of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics;
4. ruling the country and exercising state power in accordance with the Constitution;
5. promoting the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity on the track of the rule of law;
6. building a socialist rule of law system with Chinese characteristics;
7. jointly promoting the rule of law, exercising state power in accordance with the law, and administering according to the law, and building a country, a government, and a society ruled by law in an integrated manner;
8. comprehensively promoting scientific legislation, strict law enforcement, fair justice, and law-abiding by all people;
9. coordinating the promotion of domestic rule of law and foreign rule of law;
10. building a high-quality legal work team with both moral integrity and professional competence;
11. grasping the "key minority" of leading cadres.

References

1. "为千秋伟业夯基固本——习近平法治思想引领新时代全面依法治国纪实" [Laying a solid foundation for a great cause for generations to come——Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law leads the comprehensive rule of law in the new era]. Xinhua News Agency. 18 November 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2025.
2. "习近平法治思想" [Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law]. www.12371.cn. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
3. Jun, Mai (19 November 2020). "Xi Jinping calls for coordinated approach on 'rule of law' to safeguard China's interests". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 6 February 2025.
4. "Rule of Law". China Media Project. 2022-05-20. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
5. "Xi's Legal Buzzword Gets A New Center". China Media Project. 2021-06-28. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
6. Rudolf, Moritz (2023-12-18). "Politburo Whisperer on Advancing "Foreign-Related Rule of Law"". NPC Observer. Retrieved 2025-02-06.