| Editor's Note |
The Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee announced that the fourth plenary session of the Party's 18th central committee will be held in Beijing from October 20-23.
Members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee have listened to a report about opinions solicited on a draft decision of the CPC Central Committee on major issues concerning comprehensively advancing the rule of law and the draft decision will be submitted for review at the fourth plenary session.
| Latest News |
Plenum to push rule of law
The fourth plenary session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the first such meeting dedicated to the theme of "rule of law," started Monday in Beijing.
Party to address rule of law
The upcoming fourth plenary session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) will guide China to the right track of the rule of law, analysts told the Global Times Thursday.
Fourth plenum to focus on rule of law
The upcoming Party plenum is expected to specify and foster implementation of a major reform package rolled out a year ago, with the rule of law, which analysts say holds the key to almost all challenges confronting China, named the major focus.
Enhancing rule of law will spur growth, vitality in Chinese economy
Advancing the rule of law, the central theme of the upcoming Fourth Plenum, will help propel reforms to the Chinese economy, which will play a decisive role for markets, analysts have said.
| Focus |
Schedule
This session will occur later than those previously held since the reform and opening-up in late September.
Some analysis pointed out that the theme, "rule of law," is broad and requires more consultation and continuous improvement, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
Theme
- Rule of law
The new session, which will be held from October 20 to 23, is the first time the CPC has had the rule of law as the central theme of its plenary session, as it focused mainly on Party construction and economic development during its previous fourth plenary sessions of CPC Central Committee.
The third plenary session held in November 2013 laid out a blueprint for strengthening the rule of law and it is expected that a detailed decision will come out next week.
- Judicial system reform
Reforming the judicial system, emphasizing the Constitution and enhancing anti-corruption efforts with law are expected to be the main agenda of the top political meeting, observers predicted.
An anonymous legal expert who is familiar with the draft decision for review revealed that the draft will cover six aspects, namely the Party's governance style, the authority of the Constitution, promoting reform and government construction under the rule of law, as well as judicial reform and anti-corruption, The Beijing News reported on October 16.
- Disciplinary system reform
Analysts also pointed out that the session is also expected to bring public power under constraints in accordance with the law to prevent corruption.
The session will also review anti-corruption work over the past year. It is expected that the central government will continue to push forward anti-corruption campaigns in the following year.
Personnel changes
Based on precedent, the session may also involve personnel changes, including changes in the central government and Central Committee.
Due to the intensive anti-graft campaigns launched by the central government, there will be vacancies in the Central Committee. Usually, these vacancies would be taken by alternate committee members when previous members are officially removed from their positions.
Anti-corruption
The announcement for the fourth plenum's opening came simultaneously with the announcement of the official investigation into the "severe disciplinary violations" of Zhou Yongkang, who chaired the Committee of Political and Legal Affairs under the CPC Central Committee from 2007-12.
Source: China.com
| Commentary |
Zhu Lijia, Professor of Chinese Academy of Governance
The plenum report will include general information and the essence of the meeting, as well as explain general ideas and reforms concerning "rule of law." The report will also touch upon the disciplinary action on Zhou Yongkang if the issue was addressed during the meeting.
Obstacles are inevitable in any reform process. However, since the 18th CPC National Congress, both China's central government and the public have supported the construction of a China governed by law and the safeguarding of social fairness and justice. The further advancement of the rule of law has a bright future.
Source: Chinanews.com
Xin Ming, professor of Party School of the Central Committee of CPC
Based on reviews of the anti-corruption campaigns since the 18th CPC National Congress, the most distinctive feature is the rule of law, which is important to not only carrying out Party regulations but also national laws. The current anti-corruption campaigns start with temporary solutions that gradually become institutionalized and normalized in the process.
Source: China Discipline Inspection and Supervision News
Li Bin, Commentator
The improvement of the law does not necessarily mean the rule of law has been implemented. The core of law lies in its implementation and the rule of law aims to realize good governance. Rule of law is undoubtedly a must in realizing a modernized state governance system. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, a series of sessions have outlined the principle of rule of law. The upcoming session will further map out a detailed path for the next stage.
Source: haiwainet.cn
Wang Liming, Executive Vice President of the Renmin University
The CPC Central Committee has shown its emphasis on rule of law by naming it the theme two months ahead of the upcoming session. The fourth plenum would outline the top-level strategic plan to advance the rule of law with a comprehensive approach and speed up the building of a socialist country under the rule of law. Detailed plans would provide a clear path to guide us to reach that goal.
Source: Xinhua
Hu Jianmiao, Professor of Chinese Academy of Governance
The upcoming session focuses on advancing the rule of law, which is to further implement and deepen the mission of "building up China governed by law" outlined in the third plenary session. This is a timely decision in line with the people's will and meets the need to modernize the government. The session will further enrich and update socialist rule of law theory with Chinese characteristics. Meanwhile, it will also boost the building of a socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics and be a milestone in China's history of rule of law.
Source: Xinhua
| Overseas Media Reports |
China media back discussions on judicial reforms at party summit
The country's top leaders will attend the four-day plenary from Monday in Beijing.
According to reports, judicial reforms and anti-corruption efforts are expected to be on top of the meeting's agenda.
Source:BBC
As Communist Party meets for fourth plenum, Chinese media goes big on 'rule of law'
The Chinese government is using a high-level Communist Party meeting that began Monday to hammer home a key point related to the 2-year-old anti-corruption campaign initiated by President Xi Jinping. State media has been talking often and insistently about the rule of law, a concept that will be the focus of the ruling Communist Party's fourth plenum meeting.
Source: International Business Times
| Previous themes |
| The fourth plenary session of the 11th CPC Central Committee | September 25-28,1979 | Speed up agricultural development |
| The fourth plenary session of the 12th CPC Central Committee | September 16, 1985 | The seventh five-year plan; Central leadership alternate principle |
| The fourth plenary session of the 13th CPC Central Committee | June 23-24, 1989 | Personnel changes in the central leadership; Jiang Zemin elected as the general secretary of the CPC Central Committee. |
| The fourth plenary session of the 14th CPC Central Committee | September 25-28, 1994 | Strengthen Party building |
| The fourth plenary session of the 15th CPC Central Committee | September 19-22, 1999 | Reform and development of State-owned enterprises; Hu Jintao appointed as vice chairman of the Central Military Commission |
| The fourth plenary session of the 16th CPC Central Committee | September 16-19, 2004 | Strengthen the Party's governance capability; Hu Jintao appointed as chairman of the Central Military Commission |
| The fourth plenary session of the 17th CPC Central Committee | September 15-18, 2009 | Strengthen Party building |