Integral part of governance

China Forum

Building a socialist democracy based on the rule of law will ensure citizen's human rights and freedoms are upheld

Fully respecting and protecting human rights has become not only an important constitutional principle but also the goal of completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects and deepening reform and opening-up in an all-around way. During the past year, the building of a socialist democracy has achieved great progress, with the cause of human rights demonstrating new vigor and vitality.

First of all, by including human rights in the overall goals of the country's modernization and the development of a socialist democracy, it has become an integral part of national governance to fully respect and protect human rights, as well as provided strong impetus and powerful guarantees to fully realize human rights of all kinds, political rights included, in the country's political practices.

The democratic system has also upheld people's right to stay informed about, express views on, participate in, and oversee Party and government operations. The fundamental purpose of the socialist democracy system determines that citizens' political rights are a distinctive element in the country's political and democratic construction and are effectively guaranteed.

A circular released by the General Office of the State Council in 2013 focused on information disclosure in the aspects of administrative examination and approval, budget and fiscal accounts and the spending of taxpayers' money on overseas trips, official vehicles and receptions, as well as indemnificatory housing, food and drug safety, land acquisition and demolitions. Governments at all levels have actively opened online channels to enhance interaction and communication with citizens, while citizens can freely express their political opinions and interests through all legal means. Local people's congresses have further improved the system for soliciting public opinions and widely carried out new measures such as legislative hearings and live broadcasting of the legislative process to promote civic participation. And citizens are able to oversee governments and officials through democratic and legal supervision, as well as public scrutiny.

Besides, the rule of law is the basis for running the country. As stipulated in the report of the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, "We should give greater scope to the important role the rule of law plays in the country's governance and in social management...to ensure that the people enjoy extensive rights and freedoms as prescribed by law." One of the 60 important strategic plans in the comprehensively deepening of reform agreed at the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, was "to improve judicial practice and protection of human rights". This means more importance has been attached to establishing law-based thinking and legal means to guarantee and protect people's political rights, and citizens are encouraged to practice their political rights through lawful means and methods.