Xi Jinping Stresses at the Tenth Collective Study Session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee
Strengthen the Development of Foreign-Related Rule of Law
Create Favorable Rule of Law Conditions and External Environment

On the afternoon of November 27, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee held its tenth collective study session on strengthening the development of foreign-related rule of law. Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, stressed while presiding over the session that strengthening foreign-related rule of law is not only a long-term necessity for comprehensively advancing the building of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization, but also an urgent task for promoting high-level opening up and responding to external risks and challenges. From the height of better coordinating the domestic and international situations and better coordinating development and security, we must deeply understand the importance and urgency of doing foreign-related rule of law work well, build a foreign-related rule of law system and capacity commensurate with the requirements of high-quality development and high-level opening up, and create favorable rule of law conditions and an external environment for the steady and sustained progress of Chinese modernization.

Comrade Huang Huikang, Distinguished Professor of Wuhan University, gave an explanation on this issue and put forward work suggestions. Comrades of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee listened carefully to the explanation and held discussions.

After listening to the explanation and discussion, Xi Jinping delivered an important speech. He pointed out that law is the criterion for social life and national governance. The foreign-related legal system is an important component of the national legal system and the foundation of foreign-related rule of law, playing an important role in consolidating the foundation, stabilizing expectations, and benefiting the long term. On the new journey of building a strong country and national rejuvenation, we must adhere to the correct political direction, and with a more proactive historical responsibility and creative spirit, accelerate the advancement of China's foreign-related rule of law system and capacity building.

Xi Jinping stressed that foreign-related rule of law, as an important component of the socialist rule of law system with Chinese characteristics, bears on the comprehensive advancement of law-based governance and on the overall situation of China's opening up and diplomatic work. The fundamental purpose of advancing foreign-related rule of law work is to better safeguard national and people's interests through rule of law means, promote the progress of international rule of law, and advance the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. We must unswervingly follow the path of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics.

Xi Jinping pointed out that foreign-related rule of law work is a systematic project involving a wide range of areas and strong linkages. We must coordinate domestic and international, coordinate development and security, adhere to forward-looking thinking, overall planning, strategic layout, and integrated advancement, strengthen top-level design, and advance foreign-related legislation, law enforcement, judiciary, law-abiding, and legal services in an integrated manner, forming a pattern of great coordination in foreign-related rule of law work. We must adhere to legislation first, simultaneously advance legislation, amendment, repeal, and interpretation, and form a systematic and complete system of foreign-related laws and regulations. We must build a coordinated and efficient foreign-related rule of law implementation system, enhance the effectiveness of foreign-related law enforcement and judiciary, advance the reform of foreign-related judicial trial systems and mechanisms, and improve the credibility of foreign-related judiciary. We must actively develop foreign-related legal services and cultivate a number of world-class arbitration institutions and law firms. We must deepen international cooperation in law enforcement and judiciary, strengthen consular protection and assistance, and build a strong rule of law security chain for protecting China's overseas interests. We must strengthen compliance awareness, guide Chinese citizens and enterprises to consciously abide by local laws, regulations, and customs in the process of "going global," and use the rule of law and rules to safeguard their legitimate rights and interests.

Xi Jinping stressed that we must firmly uphold the international order based on international law, actively participate in the formulation of international rules, and advance the rule of law in international relations. We must actively participate in the reform and building of the global governance system, promote the development of global governance in a more just and reasonable direction, promote global good governance with sound international law, and help build a community with a shared future for mankind.

Xi Jinping pointed out that the rule of law goes hand in hand with opening up; with every step forward in opening up, the development of foreign-related rule of law must follow. We must adhere to advancing high-level opening up on the basis of the rule of law, advance the development of foreign-related rule of law in the process of expanding opening up, and continuously consolidate the rule of law foundation for high-level opening up. The rule of law is the best business environment. We must improve the open and transparent foreign-related legal system, strengthen intellectual property protection, safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of foreign-funded enterprises, make good use of both domestic and international rules, and create a market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized first-class business environment. We must proactively align with and actively absorb high-standard international economic and trade rules, steadily expand institutional opening up, enhance the level of trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and build a new system of a higher-level open economy. We must benchmark against international advanced levels, promptly elevate effective measures and mature experience of high-level opening up such as pilot free trade zones into law, and build new highlands of opening up with higher levels of openness, a better business environment, and stronger radiating effects. We must comprehensively enhance the capacity to safeguard opening-up security in accordance with the law. We must improve convenience service measures for foreigners living in China and relevant laws and regulations.

Xi Jinping stressed that we must strengthen the training of professional talent and team building. We must adhere to fostering virtue through education and cultivating both virtue and law, strengthen discipline development, run legal education well, improve practice-oriented training mechanisms, and as soon as possible cultivate a group of foreign-related rule of law talents with firm political positions, solid professional quality, familiarity with international rules, and proficiency in foreign-related legal practice. We must improve mechanisms for talent introduction, selection, use, and management, and make good preparations for the training and reserve of high-end foreign-related rule of law talents. We must strengthen the rule of law capacity building of foreign-related cadres and build a high-quality and professional foreign-related rule of law work team. Leading cadres at all levels must take the lead in respecting the law, learning the law, abiding by the law, and using the law, and effectively enhance foreign-related rule of law thinking and the ability to handle affairs in accordance with the law.

Xi Jinping pointed out that we must strengthen confidence in the rule of law, actively explain the concepts, propositions, and successful practices of foreign-related rule of law with Chinese characteristics, and tell well the story of China's rule of law in the new era. We must strengthen research on frontier topics of foreign-related rule of law theory and practice, build a foreign-related rule of law theoretical system and discourse system with Chinese characteristics and integrating Chinese and foreign elements, and demonstrate China's image as a major country of rule of law and civilization. The Chinese legal system has a long history, and China's fine traditional legal culture contains rich rule of law thoughts and profound political wisdom and is a treasure of Chinese culture. We must actively promote the creative transformation and innovative development of China's fine traditional legal culture, endow Chinese rule of law civilization with new contemporary connotations, and stimulate vigorous vitality.