BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, has recently made important instructions on comprehensively advancing the rule of law. He noted that since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the CPC Central Committee has incorporated comprehensively advancing the rule of law into the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy and pushed it forward with strong momentum. As a result, a framework for comprehensive law-based governance has taken shape, the system of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics has been continuously improved, and the path of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics has been steadily broadened.

Xi emphasized that on the new journey, we must fully implement the Thought on Socialist Rule of Law with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and uphold the unity between Party leadership, the running of the country by the people and law-based governance. We should focus on improving the system of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics and building a country with higher-level socialist rule of law, attach greater importance to the coordination between the rule of law and reform, development and stability, and lay more emphasis on safeguarding and promoting social fairness and justice. We must fully advance sound legislation, strict law enforcement, impartial administration of justice and observance of the law by all, and place all aspects of state governance under the rule of law, to provide a strong legal guarantee for building a strong country and advancing national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernization.

Xi stressed that Party committees (leading Party members' groups) at all levels must assume principal responsibilities for ensuring the proper implementation of major plans, key tasks and work related to the rule of law. Departments responsible for promoting the rule of law must conscientiously fulfill their duties and proactively take their responsibilities, and all departments and sectors must strictly abide by the law in their work, jointly opening up new horizons for advancing the rule of law in China, Xi said.

The Central Conference on the Rule of Law was held in Beijing from Nov. 17 to 18. Zhao Leji, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, attended the meeting and delivered a speech. Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice premier of the State Council, attended the meeting and conveyed Xi's important instructions.

In his speech, Zhao pointed out that General Secretary Xi's important instructions are strategically insightful and thought-provoking, and hold political, theoretical, and guiding significance. They chart the course for comprehensively advancing law-based governance on the new journey, and must be thoroughly studied and resolutely implemented, Zhao said.

Zhao stressed that Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law is the guiding philosophy that must be upheld in the long run for comprehensively advancing law-based governance in the new era. The historic achievements in advancing law-based governance across the board fully attest to the strength of truth and the practical efficacy of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law. We must work hard to study, publicize and interpret this thought, and turn achievements in learning into concrete actions for advancing the rule of law.

Zhao pointed out that it is essential to uphold and strengthen the Party's leadership over law-based governance. We must acquire a deep understanding of the decisive significance of the Two Affirmations and ensure unwavering commitment to the Two Upholds. We must be committed to the path of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics. It is imperative to uphold the unity between Party leadership, the running of the country by the people and law-based governance, ensuring that the Party's leadership is upheld throughout the entire process and in every aspect of law-based governance.

Zhao stressed the need to implement the strategic arrangements outlined at the fourth plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, and ensure good results from all work related to law-based governance while upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground and pursuing progress while ensuring stability. He called for efforts to consolidate and manifest China's institutional strengths through advancing the rule of law, and to provide a legal guarantee for high-quality development. Zhao also urged efforts to protect the people's rights and interests, improve their wellbeing, guarantee and promote social fairness and justice in accordance with the law, safeguard national security and social stability, and improve the legal system and capacity for handling foreign-related affairs, to provide a solid legal guarantee for making decisive progress in basically realizing socialist modernization.

Zhao noted that it is imperative to further improve the system of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics, accelerate the establishment of a well-developed system of laws and regulations, build a law-based government, promote impartial administration of justice in all respects, further advance the building of a law-based society, strengthen the competence of professionals in the work related to the rule of law, train more professionals, and lay a solid foundation for the higher-level building of a socialist country under the rule of law.

Chen Wenqing, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, said in his summary that General Secretary Xi's important instructions have shed more light on issues concerning the strategy, overall situation and direction of law-based governance, deepened understanding of advancing the socialist rule of law, pointed the direction for comprehensively advancing law-based governance on the new journey. He called for conscientious study and implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law and the gist of the meeting. He also emphasized the need to take a coordinated approach to ensuring sound legislation, strict law enforcement, impartial administration of justice, and the observance of law by all, strengthen legal supervision, and make concerted efforts to break new ground in advancing the rule of law in China.

Leading officials from the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Commission of Supervision, the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, Tianjin Municipality, Jiangsu Province, Fujian Province, Chongqing Municipality and Gansu Province, also shared their ideas at the meeting.

Shi Taifeng, Li Shulei, Li Hongzhong, Liu Jinguo, Wang Xiaohong, Zhang Shengmin, Wu Zhenglong, Zhang Jun, and Ying Yong attended the meeting.

Present at the meeting were also members from the Commission for Law-based Governance of the CPC Central Committee, leading officials from the commissions for law-based governance under the Party committees of all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the central government, and of the cities specifically designated in the state plan, as well as of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and those from relevant central Party and state departments, mass organizations, and relevant departments of the Central Military Commission.