CPC convenes first plenum on 'rule of law' in anti-graft drive(2)

MORE THAN A SYSTEM

The government announced that a "socialist system of laws with Chinese characteristics" was basically established in 2010.

But rule of law entails much more than just having a system of laws, according to Shen Guoming, deputy head of the China Society of Jurisprudence.

"Having a set of laws in place is not the whole story. We must also make sure that the laws are enforced in a strict manner and that lawbreakers are all prosecuted in accordance with the law," said Shen, who has worked as a consultant for this week's CPC meeting.

Jiang Ping, another law expert, believed that however the rule of law was stressed, power abuse is still a common phenomenon in China. Some officials took the lead in violating laws.

Ren Runhou, former vice governor of Shanxi, who was caught for bribery earlier this year, had a theory. He thought that power could generate profit, while money could buy power. Once visiting a coal mine, he asked the staff members "if I give you the right of sales, the right to hire people and the right to purchase material, will you earn another 100 million yuan (about 16.3 million U.S. dollars) for the mine?"

Improvement of laws and regulations is another necessity for rule of law.

An unnamed procurator told Xinhua that some clauses were not precise with loopholes. "Such as sentencing," he said. "A corrupt official who took 100,000 yuan might be sentenced to death, while another who embezzled millions of yuan could only be jailed for 15 years."

Their words were echoed by Zhou Hanming, another law expert and a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

In a country that boasts a population of over 1.3 billion, the long march to rule of law has to be completed by the entire public rather than the ruling Party and government alone, Zhou added.

"Raising legal awareness and consciousness among the public is the linchpin to promoting rule of law," he said.

Some signs are already pointing in this direction.

"The management of even the smallest communities has to be done in strict compliance with the law," said Hu Jingqin, Party secretary of the Wenanlu Community in Shenyang of Liaoning Province, citing a landmark property law adopted in 2007 that granted equal protection to both public and private property.

Civil legal aid agencies are also reaching out to schools and kindergartens in the wake of increasing violence targeting children and teenagers.

Shen said the focus of this week's plenary meeting is to enhance judiciary efficacy and authority, adding that it is not plain sailing to have 1.3 billion people act in strict accordance with the laws in every aspect of their lives.

Law experts also see "rule of Constitution" as a higher level of rule of law.

A previous mention of "rule of Constitution" dates back to 2003 in a work report of the National People's Congress Standing Committee.

Chinese president Xi Jinping also said that the authority of the Constitution and the rule of law should be promoted, adding that fully implementing the Constitution is the primary task and basic work in building a socialist nation ruled by law, and that the Constitution is the country's basic law and the general rule in managing state affairs.

Analysts say that, under the Constitution, the rule of law will not only constrain power but also protect people's rights and interests to ensure maximum fairness and justice -- both targets the CPC has been striving for.

And that is why the fourth plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee will become a landmark event in the history of both the Party and China.