CPC sets new blueprint for rule of law

Top leaders including Party chief Xi Jinping attend the Fourth Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China in Beijing. LAN HONGGUANG / XINHUA

The Communist Party of China (CPC) set a new blueprint for rule of law in the world's second largest economy during a key meeting this week, promising sweeping judical reforms while hailing the overarching role of the Constitution in the country's legal system.[Special coverage]

The Fourth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee was held in Beijing from Oct. 20 to 23.

According to a communique issued after the meeting, the overall target of the CPC's current drive to advance rule of law is to form a system serving "the socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics" and build a country under "the socialist rule of law."

China will work to build a law-abiding government, and will ensure the leadership of the CPC in "the socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics," the communique read.

It also pledged to rule the country in accordance with the Constitution.

This is the first time a plenary session of the CPC Central Committee has taken rule of law as its central theme.

According to the communique, the four-day meeting adopted a decision from the CPC Central Committee on "major issues concerning comprehensively advancing rule of law," and heard a work report of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

It also saw the endorsement of the CPC's prior decisions to revoke the Party membership of five high-ranking officials -- including Li Dongsheng, Jiang Jiemin, Wang Yongchun, Li Chuncheng and Wan Qingliang -- and a People's Liberation Army general Yang Jinshan.

Three of the above six, namely Li Dongsheng, Jiang and Yang, had previously been members of the 18th CPC Central Committee.

Their vacancies were filled by chief of the National Bureau of Statistics Ma Jiantang, State Administration of Religious Affairs head Wang Zuo'an and Mao Wanchun, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee.

"NO MEDDLING"

The carefully-worded communique promised legal reforms that are aimed at giving judges more independence and limiting local officials' influence over courts and cases.

According to the communique, they will develop a system in which officials will be given demerits or held accountable if they are found interfering in judicial cases.

Officials will be criticized in public notices if they influence judicial activities or meddle in a particular case, it said, adding that judicial injustice can inflict a "lethal damage" to social justice.