China to enhance rule of law(2)

"The harsh warnings issued by Hu Jintao against high-ranking officials signal that the Party's fight against corruption will not just focus on individual cases, but on the construction of an institutionalized anti-corruption system," said Li Chengyan, director of the Research Center for Clean Government Construction at Peking University.

"The Party officials are not at all different from ordinary citizens before the law. They should not have any privilege," he said.

Many instances of corruption have been sniffed out by vigilant netizens, beating judicial organs and government agencies to the punch. Two recent cases resulted in the dismissal of local officials who were discovered after evidence of their extravagant lifestyles was exposed online.

"The cases have exposed loopholes in our anti-corruption system," said Party delegate Tong Lihua, a renowned public interest lawyer.

"We need to reform the system to make it more efficient and transparent. We must let the public have confidence in our system," he said.

The Party has been striving to press ahead with the building of an institutionalized and legalized anti-corruption system in recent years.

Between January 2005 to July 2012, central authorities promulgated 616 related laws, rules and regulations, while local authorities promulgated 1,538 rules and regulations, according to the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the Ministry of Supervision.

In his report to the Party's national congress, Hu Jintao pledged to expand the important role that the rule of law plays in the country's governance and social management.

"As the Constitution and laws are adopted by the Party and the people under its leadership, the Party must act within the scope prescribed by the Constitution and laws," Hu said.

"No organization or individual has the privilege of overstepping the Constitution and laws, and no one in a position of power is allowed in any way to take one's own words as the law, place one's own authority above the law or abuse the law," he warned.

Han Dayuan, dean of the Law School of Renmin University of China, said Hu's pledges demonstrate the Party's resolve to apply the Constitution and the law, which may enhance the public's confidence.

"The Party gives us reason to believe that after the 18th CPC National Congress, China will speed up the building of a law-based country, improve the effectiveness of law enforcement and promote social justice," he said.