China maps out new blueprint on building of rule of law government

China has set out an outline on promoting the building of a rule of law government from 2021 to 2025, on the basis of the successful implementation of a previous five-year plan.

The document, jointly issued by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, was made public on Aug 11.

Identifying promoting the rule of law for government as the main task in advancing law-based governance in all areas, the document highlighted the guiding philosophies, principles, and overall goals of this cause for the next five years.

It urges improving government functions in various fields, including economic adjustment, market supervision, social management, public service, and environmental protection.

The government's function in formulating development strategies, plans, policies and standards should strengthen. More legal and institutional efforts should curb unjust interventions in microeconomic activities, says the document.

It also specifies that the lists of power and duties of departments of the State Council should be formulated by the first half of 2022. The negative list for market access should also be strictly implemented.

On improving the law-based business environment, the plan calls for concrete efforts to prevent the administrative power from eliminating or stifling competition. It pledges improvements in the system of pre-establishment national treatment plus a negative list for foreign investment. It also promises strengthened enforcement of antimonopoly and anti-unfair competition laws.

It stresses pushing forward legislative activities and studies in key areas such as national security, biosecurity, infectious diseases prevention and control, and digital economy.

The document calls for improved emergency response systems, including monitoring and early warning, information reporting, rapid response, restoration and investigation and assessment of relevant events.

Primary-level organizations and the public should be guided and regulated in participating in emergency response to enhance the capability of handling emergencies in accordance with the law, the outline says. It added that drills in this regard should be conducted regularly.

Systems of exercising oversight over administrative powers should improve, it says. It calls for greater transparency in government.

Also, it urges governments at all levels to promote law-based administration with the help of digital technologies, including the internet, big data, and artificial intelligence.

The document stresses strengthening the Party's leadership for the building of a government based on the rule of law.