Speech at Special Symposium for Provincial and Ministerial Level Leading Cadres Titled as Studying and Implementing the Spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the Eighteenth Central Committee of the CPC to Comprehensively Promote Governing the Country According to Law

Provincial and Ministerial-level leading cadres have partcipated this Seminar. In the Seminar, Xi Jinping delivered this speech on February 2, 2015. The “Speech” fully affirmed the important achievements made in the construction of socialist rule of law in China since the Reform and Opening-up and the important role played by leading cadres at all levels in promoting the process of governing the country by law.

Xi Jinping emphasized that leading cadres at all levels should have a clear mirror of law consciousness in their hearts, firmly grasp the rule of law and must always have a reverence for the law in their hearts, keeping in mind that they must not touch the red line of the law nor cross the law's bottom line, that power must not be used extra-legally instead it should be put into a cage.

We should firmly establish the basic concepts of the rule of law, such as the supremacy of the Constitution and the law, equality of all people before the law, legalization of rights and the exercise of rights in accordance with the law. We should stand up and fight resolutely for all kinds of acts that , undermine and infringe the rule of law.

The “Speech” pointed out that the leaders of the Party and government should take lead in fulfilling their responsibilities and in promoting the construction of the rule of law, comprehensively promote scientific legislation, strict law enforcement, fair justice, and law enforcement for the whole people.

Whether or not they abide by the law and handle affairs in accordance with the law should be regarded as an important content and criterion when examining and evaluating the cadres.

The socialist path of rule of law with Chinese characteristics that we want to adhere to is essentially a concrete reflection of the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the field of rule of law; the theory of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics that we want to develop is essentially a theoretical achievement of the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics on the question of rule of law; the socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics we are building is essentially the legal manifestation of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics.

In the path of socialist rule of law we should adhere to the leadership of the Party, and the leadership of the Party should rely on socialist rule of law.

The “Speech” stressed that since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the CPC Central Committee has put forward and and mapped out a strategic a strategic layout of the "four comprehensives", i.e., comprehensively building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way, comprehensively deepening reform in an all-round way, comprehensively governing the country in accordance with the law, and comprehensively governing the Party strictly from the perspective of adhering to and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The “Speech” emphasized that we should increase responsiibilities of leading cadres as the 'crucial minority' in the process of comprehensively governing the country according to law, and It is of great significance to give full play to their exemplary role in respecting the law and abiding by the law, and to promote the construction of the socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics and the socialist country ruled by law.