Sound lawmaking, strict law enforcement and impartial justice

Xi Jinping delivers a report to the 19th CPC National Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Oct 18, 2017. [Photo by Xu Jingxing/chinadaily.com.cn]

IN THE REPORT he delivered at the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China on Oct 18, General Secretary Xi Jinping said: "Advancing law-based governance in all fields is a profound revolution in China's governance. We must promote the rule of law and work to ensure sound lawmaking, strict law enforcement, impartial administration of justice and the observance of the law by everyone." Beijing Youth Daily comments:

Advancing law-based governance in all areas means exercising the unified leadership of the Party to build the rule of law in China, and coordinate the development of the Party's rules of discipline and the country's laws.

Xi said: "We will strengthen oversight to ensure compliance with the Constitution, advance review of the Constitution, and safeguard the authority of the Constitution." If these pledges are well implemented, people's rights can be ensured.

Over the past five years, China has made remarkable progress with regard to law-based governance, laying a solid foundation for the modernization of the State governance system. Now, a central leading group for advancing law-based governance in all areas is to be established.

Xi also said: "A national supervision law will be formulated. Supervisory commissions will be given responsibilities, powers and means of investigation in accordance with the law. The practice of shuanggui, which is an intraparty disciplinary action that requires a Party member under investigation to cooperate with questioning at a designated place and a designated time, will be replaced by detention."

This means the basic rights of Party members will be better protected according to the law.

And Xi said: "We will carry out comprehensive and integrated reform of the judicial system and enforce judicial accountability in all respects, so that the people can see in every judicial case that justice is served."

It is necessary for the Party to play a leading role in advancing the judicial reforms, so as to avoid and correct miscarriages of justice and better protect people's rights and interests.

The report thus shows the direction for improved governance through reforms of the administrative and judicial systems.