Socialist democracy and rule of law are more sound: A review of the achievements of political system reform since the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee
Beijing, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Socialist democracy and rule of law are more sound -- a review of the achievements of political system reform since the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee
If the system is stable, the country is stable; if the system is strong, the country is strong.
Since the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, political system reform has been steadily advancing, upholding the organic unity of the Party's leadership, the people's mastery of their own affairs, and the rule of law, and the superiority of the socialist political system with Chinese characteristics has been better utilized.
We will thoroughly implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on whole-process people’s democracy, continuously develop whole-process people’s democracy, and show a new spirit of Chinese democracy; guided by Xi Jinping’s thoughts on the rule of law, we will create a new situation of comprehensively governing the country according to the law… The construction of socialist democracy and the rule of law continues to make new progress and achieve new results, providing strong political guarantees for the great cause of building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation.
One day at the end of April this year, envoys and diplomats from 36 countries came to the legislative liaison station in Nanmofang Township, Chaoyang District, Beijing, and expressed heartfelt emotion after learning about the work of the grassroots legislative liaison point of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China.
The people's congress system is my country's fundamental political system and an important institutional carrier for realizing the whole-process people's democracy in my country. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as its core has continuously promoted theoretical and practical innovations in the people's congress system from the strategic perspective of upholding and improving the Party's leadership and consolidating the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, and has put forward a series of new concepts, new ideas and new requirements.
In September 2014, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the meeting celebrating the 60th anniversary of the founding of the National People's Congress that in the new journey of struggle, we must give full play to the role of the people's congress system as the fundamental political system and continue to firmly grasp the future and destiny of the country and nation in the hands of the people through the people's congress system.
In October 2021, the Central People's Congress Working Conference was held in Beijing. This is the first time in the history of the Party and the People's Congress system.
General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the meeting, clearly putting forward the guiding ideology, major principles and main tasks for strengthening and improving the work of the National People's Congress in the new era, and profoundly answering a series of major theoretical and practical issues in developing socialist democracy with Chinese characteristics and upholding and improving the people's congress system in the new era.
Under the guidance of General Secretary Xi Jinping, the work of the National People's Congress has been innovative, and the people's congress system has continued to develop and improve, becoming more mature and established.
To ensure that the Party's leadership runs through the entire process and all aspects of the work of the National People's Congress, and that the Party's lines, principles, policies, decisions and arrangements are fully implemented and effectively executed in the work of the state;
Streamline the NPC’s legislative bill review process and optimize the NPC Standing Committee’s meeting time, procedures, and content;
The election of deputies has become more clean and honest, with frontline workers and farmers accounting for 16.69% of the deputies to the 14th National People's Congress;
From amending the Constitution in line with the times to establishing National Constitution Day, from implementing the constitutional oath system to strengthening constitutionality review and filing review, the implementation of the Constitution in the new era has been elevated to a new level, and the country's rule of law unity has been better maintained.
The Legislative Law was amended to grant local legislative power to all cities with districts; the leading role of the National People's Congress in legislative work was better played, and the mechanism for drafting draft laws was improved; the channels for citizens to participate in legislation in an orderly manner were broadened, and the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress established 45 grassroots legislative contact points... The legislative system and mechanism are constantly being improved to promote development and ensure good governance with good laws.
Supervision by the National People's Congress is supervision with legal authority and on behalf of the people. In recent years, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress has continuously improved the supervision mechanism, enriched and explored supervision forms, integrated support into supervision, and promoted the implementation of major decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee.
It was the first time that a comprehensive report on the management of state-owned assets was heard and reviewed, the first time that a report on the financial work was heard and reviewed, and the first time that a report on the special work of the National Supervisory Commission was heard and reviewed... We focused on the "major issues of the country", took tough measures, improved the supervision system of "one government, one committee, and two courts", improved the budget review and supervision mechanism, improved the organization and working mechanism of law enforcement inspections, and achieved full coverage of the supervision areas.
People's Congress deputies are connected to the Party and the government on one end and to hundreds of millions of people on the other. In his report to the 20th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that we should strengthen the capacity building of people's congress deputies and strengthen their connection with the people.
In recent years, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress has continuously strengthened and improved the work of representatives, and used the power of the system to strengthen the ties between the Standing Committee and representatives, and between representatives and the people.
The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress has established a Representative Working Committee; all special committees and working committees of the National People's Congress have basically achieved full coverage of contact with grassroots representatives; National People's Congress representatives are invited to attend Standing Committee meetings, and the Chairman and Vice Chairman have face-to-face communication with representatives...a "bridge of communication" and a "window of public opinion" are built to support and guarantee representatives in performing their duties in accordance with the law.
Socialist consultative democracy has developed extensively and at multiple levels
Open your mobile phone and offer suggestions, exchange ideas, and submit proposals at any time... Nowadays, the mobile platform for members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference has become an indispensable "assistant" for many members in performing their duties.
Using the Internet to innovate negotiation methods and create deliberative democracy at your fingertips is a vivid portrayal of the innovative development of deliberative democracy in the new era.
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that under China's socialist system, everything can be discussed, and matters concerning the public are discussed by the public. Finding the greatest common divisor of the wishes and demands of the entire society is the essence of people's democracy.
In the new era and new journey, socialist consultative democracy has developed extensively and multi-level institutionally, forming a consultative democracy system with Chinese characteristics. The forms of consultative democracy are becoming increasingly diverse, the channels of democracy are constantly expanding, and the connotation of democracy is becoming more profound.
Developing while inheriting, innovating while adhering to the right path, the CPPCC presents a new look and a new look——
In September 2019, General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the Central CPPCC Work Conference and the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, profoundly expounding on the mission, tasks, overall requirements and focus of the work of the CPPCC in the new era.
In recent years, the CPPCC has continuously deepened its institutional reform, established the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, and added the "Environment and Resources Sector". The CPPCC Charter has been revised twice to adapt to the new situation, enrich new content, and make new norms to ensure that consultative democracy has rules and regulations to follow.
From the establishment of the "biweekly consultation forum" to the innovative online political consultation and remote consultation, from thematic political consultation meetings of the Standing Committee to thematic consultation meetings, from sector consultation meetings to expert consultation meetings... we can better play the role of the CPPCC as a special consultation body, and make suggestions and provide advice more effectively, with more reason and validity.
The National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference has established a working mechanism in which members of the Chairman's Conference take the lead in supervising key proposals, and built a high-level talent pool for political participation and consultation with CPPCC characteristics. Members have performed their duties more solidly and proposed more down-to-earth... The level of institutionalization, standardization and proceduralization of deliberative democracy has been continuously improved.
Open up channels for speech, pool wisdom, fully promote the spirit of democracy, and build consensus across society.
In his report to the 20th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that "we should coordinate the promotion of consultation among political parties, the National People's Congress, the government, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, people's groups, grassroots organizations and social organizations, and improve various institutionalized consultation platforms."
In August 2020, during the drafting of the "14th Five-Year Plan" proposals, our party launched "online consultation" for the first time in the history of five-year plan formulation.
The democratic supervision of poverty alleviation carried out from 2016 to 2020 was the first time that the central committees of the democratic parties conducted special supervision on major national strategic decisions.
The Party Central Committee convenes or entrusts relevant departments to convene party consultation meetings to sincerely consult with non-party members on major issues and listen to their opinions; the central committees of democratic parties and non-party members conduct in-depth investigations and research, and put forward opinions and suggestions, many of which are transformed into major national decisions... Party consultation has basically formed an institutional system that is guaranteed by relevant laws and regulations, based on the documents of the CPC Central Committee, and supplemented by supporting mechanisms, and the results are more significant.
On the eve of the 2019 Spring Festival, General Secretary Xi Jinping walked into the "Small Courtyard Meeting Room" and clearly pointed out: "'Residents discuss residents' affairs, and residents decide residents' affairs', which is conducive to enhancing the sense of belonging and ownership of community residents and improving the precision and refinement of community governance and services."
Civil matters are proposed by the people, discussed by the people, decided by the people, managed by the people, and evaluated by the people... everything can be discussed, which is the most vivid form of deliberative democracy.
Village councils, democratic consultation meetings, and democratic hearings are held in urban and rural communities, and deliberative platforms such as "small courtyard meeting halls," "consultation rooms," and "resident think tanks" are created... One reform and innovation measure after another has enabled the people to be masters of their own country in a concrete and realistic way in the country's political and social life. The policies and work of the Party and the government are more in line with public opinion and reality, and the Party's theories, lines, principles, and policies are implemented more thoroughly and enforced more forcefully.
"Passed!" On March 11 this year, the Second Session of the 14th National People's Congress voted to pass the newly revised Organization Law of the State Council.
The first revision of the Organization Law of the State Council, which has been in effect for more than 40 years, is of great significance for the comprehensive construction of a law-based government and is a vivid epitome of the construction of a law-based China in the new era.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as its core has made a series of major decisions and arrangements for comprehensively governing the country according to law from an overall and strategic perspective. General Secretary Xi Jinping has set the course and laid out the blueprint for comprehensively governing the country according to law, opening up a new realm for the sinicization of Marxist legal theory.
The Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee made a decision to put forward clear requirements for promoting the construction of a rule of law in China. The Fourth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee made a decision to make top-level design and strategic deployment for comprehensively governing the country according to law.
In November 2020, the Central Conference on Comprehensively Promoting the Rule of Law, which was held for the first time in the history of the Party, clearly defined Xi Jinping's thoughts on the rule of law as the guiding ideology for comprehensively promoting the rule of law, and made strategic arrangements for promoting the comprehensive rule of law in the current and future periods.
Comprehensively governing the country according to law is a profound revolution in state governance. Under the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping's thoughts on the rule of law, my country's socialist rule of law construction has undergone historic changes and achieved historic achievements.
In August 2018, General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over the first meeting of the Central Committee for Comprehensively Promoting the Rule of Law and delivered an important speech. The work of the Central Committee for Comprehensively Promoting the Rule of Law was officially launched, and the construction of a rule of law in China entered a new stage of systematic and coordinated advancement.
The Party Central Committee issued the "Regulations on Political and Legal Work of the Communist Party of China", and the provincial rule of law committees were fully established. The organizational leadership and overall coordination of rule of law construction in various places were continuously strengthened... The Party's leadership over the comprehensive rule of law is stronger and more powerful, ensuring that the construction of a rule of law in China always moves in the right direction.
The "Plan for Building a Rule of Law China", "Implementation Outline for Building a Rule of Law Government" and "Implementation Outline for Building a Rule of Law Society" have been formulated and issued, forming the "four pillars" for building a rule of law China, marking the basic formation of the overall pattern of comprehensively governing the country according to the law in the new era.
Law is an important tool for governing the country, and good laws are the prerequisite for good governance.
From compiling the first law named after a code in New China, the Civil Code, to revising the Environmental Protection Law to weave a dense legal network for ecological protection; from revising the Company Law to improve the modern enterprise system with Chinese characteristics, to formulating the Hainan Free Trade Port Law to safeguard major reform and opening-up measures...
Adhering to the simultaneous implementation of legislation, revision, abolition, interpretation and compilation, the national legislation pace is faster and the quality is higher. As of the end of April 2024, there are 302 effective laws in my country, and the socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics is becoming more and more perfect.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the political and legal front has adhered to the correct reform direction, dared to tackle tough problems, cross dangerous shoals, and overcome difficulties, and accomplished reforms that have been thought about and talked about for many years but have not been implemented. The credibility of the judiciary has been continuously improved, playing an important role in maintaining social fairness and justice.
The reform of the case registration system has promoted the policy of “every case must be filed and every case must be heard”, and the reform of the judicial responsibility system has achieved the policy of “let the judges judge and the judges be responsible”. A series of major wrongful cases such as the Huugjiltsu case and the Nie Shubin case have been corrected according to law... Judicial reforms are closely linked, and the fair, efficient and authoritative socialist judicial system with Chinese characteristics has become more mature and complete.
Correct the mentality of “whoever is killed or injured is at fault”, solve the “home and away” problem in litigation, adhere to and develop the “Fengqiao Experience” in the new era... Start with the urgent issues that the people are concerned about, and let people have a greater sense of gain, happiness and security.
Use the power of the rule of law to safeguard high-quality economic and social development.
Formulate a "power list" and a "responsibility list" to clarify the boundaries of government power, focus on strengthening judicial protection of property rights so that "those who have constant property have constant heart", comprehensively clean up "strange certificates" to reduce the burden on the people... In the process of moving towards high-quality development, the important role of the rule of law has become increasingly prominent.
The legal education responsibility system of "whoever enforces the law shall educate the public on the law" has been fully implemented, the coverage of "people who understand the law" in rural areas has become more comprehensive, the "Seventh Five-Year Plan" for legal education has been successfully completed, and the "Eighth Five-Year Plan" for legal education has been deepened and implemented... Bathed in the light of the rule of law, a good habit of law-abiding has been established among the whole people.
The construction of a rule of law China in the new era has been comprehensively upgraded from a legal system to a legal system that covers all aspects of legislation, law enforcement, justice, and law-abidingness. It has gone hand in hand with the comprehensive deepening of reform, pushing the national governance system and governance capabilities to new heights.
Under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, we will unswervingly follow the path of political development of socialism with Chinese characteristics and continuously advance the construction of socialist democracy and the rule of law, which will surely provide strong institutional guarantees for advancing Chinese-style modernization.
