Building a Socialist Legal Civilization with the Chinese Characteristics (Part I)

An epoch-making meeting was opened by the Chinese Communist Party from December 18 to 22 in 1978, which was known as the 3rd Plenary Session of the 11th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party. This meeting attracted enthusiastic responses. At this meeting, leftism was abandoned and the focus of the work of the party was shifted to socialist construction according to its resolution. At this meeting, importance was also attached to the construction of legal system and it was announced in the communique that “the civic rights stipulated in the constitution are inviolable, so it must be guaranteed. In order to ensure people’s democracy, the socialist legal system must be strengthened, institutionalized and legalized, because it will not only make the legal system more stable, sustaining and authoritative, but also ensure that the law may be enforced strictly and that the law breakers may be punished. From now on, the legislative work shall be put on the agenda of the National People’s Congress and its standing committee. In addition, the independence of judicial and procuratorial organs shall be maintained so that they should be loyal to the law and the system, be loyal to the people’s interests and be loyal to facts and truth. It must be ensured that the people are equal before the law and that no one has the privilege above the law.” This meeting not only announced the arrival of a new era of socialist legal system and pointed out the overall direction of constructing a socialist legal state of “Fa Zhi” (the ruling of law), but also greatly inspired and encouraged the Chinese people.