Social Sciences in China, 2020

Vol. 41, No. 1, 2020

The Basic Issues concerning the Construction of the Rule of Law in China in the New Era

(Abstract)

Wang Liming

China has entered a new era in our march toward the rule of law, and the principal contradiction facing Chinese society has changed into one between the people’s ever- growing need for a better life and unbalanced and inadequate development. At the rule of law level, the contradiction manifests itself as a gap between the public’s expectations of rule of law construction and its unbalanced and inadequate development in legislation, law enforcement, the judicial system, legal compliance, legal supervision, etc. The Report to the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China points out that law-based governance is an essential requirement and important guarantee for socialism with Chinese characteristics. It outlines an impressive blueprint for building the rule of law in the new era, and further expounds the basic strategy for building the rule of law in China in the future. It provides the guiding ideology and program of action for the comprehensive rule of law and establishes the goal of building the rule of law. Under the guidance of Xi Jinping thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era, rule of law construction in China will embark on a new journey.

Keywords: principal contradiction facing Chinese society, Xi Jinping thought, new era, comprehensive rule of law