China's commitment to rule of law( Xinhua) 09:05, September 23, 2013 BEIJING, Sept. 22 -- Bo Xilai was sentenced to life in prison on Sunday for bribery,embezzlement and abuse of power. Bo's case has underscored China's resolve to severelypunish corruption and uphold the rule of law.
The verdict makes Bo, former member of the Communist Party of China (CPC) CentralCommittee Political Bureau and former secretary of the CPC Chongqing MunicipalCommittee, one of the highest officials to be convicted for corruption in recent years.
The handling of the case, from placing Bo under investigation, transferring him to judicialorgans, initiating a public prosecution, to hearing the case, has been advanced along thetrack of the rule of law from the very beginning.
The CPC's anti-corruption plan -- to fighting corruption by legal means -- have beenforcefully demonstrated in the judicial progress. The court has actively explored judicialtransparency.
During the hearing, the defendant and his lawyers fully applied their procedural rights,such as presenting and questioning the evidence and defending their opinions. The courtalso summoned witnesses to testify on key facts.
Attended by journalists and people from various walks of life, the trial was far more openthan previous ones concerning senior officials. A court spokesman was available to addressthe media during adjournments.
The court unprecedentedly opened an official microblog account to publish the trialtranscripts, prompting heated discussions about the case among netizens.
The court not only made public the proceedings and results of the trial, but also gave thelegal basis and reasoning for the judgment in the verdict announced Sunday.
It was a vivid demonstration of how the rule of law should be implemented.
Bo's trial illustrates China's determination to fight corruption in accordance with the law.
No exception will be made when it comes to Party discipline and law. Violators will beseverely punished no matter who are involved and no matter how high their posts.
China's Criminal Law stipulates that, "the law shall be equally applied to anyone whocommits a crime. No one shall have the privilege of transcending the law."
Bo's verdict came after the investigation and punishment of a number of senior officials inthe latest crackdown on corruption.
In early July, former Railways Minister Liu Zhijun received a suspended death sentencefor taking bribes and abusing his power.
Also on the list are Jiang Jiemin, former head of the State-owned Assets Supervision andAdministration Commission, and Li Chuncheng, former deputy Party chief in SichuanProvince, both of whom were sacked for suspected "serious discipline violations." Inaddition, Liu Tienan, a former deputy chief of China's top economic planning body, was putunder judicial investigation for suspected bribery in August.
The top leadership has approved a 2013-2017 work plan for establishing and improvingthe system for punishing and preventing corruption. For the CPC, building a systemagainst corruption is a "major political task;" for the whole of society, that is a commonresponsibility.
Moreover, Bo's trial is another resolute move of China to unswervingly push forward therule of law.
In 1996, the rule of law was written into the outline of the ninth five-year plan for nationaleconomic and social development and the long-range objectives to 2010, becoming animportant principle, or a "milestone," for China's modernization.
In 1999, "the rule of law" was enshrined in the country's constitution, giving it more legalclout. A socialist system of laws with Chinese characteristics was established in 2010 asscheduled.
The "rule of law" does not only mean running state affairs according to law, it also meansthat administrators must obey the law and handle state affairs through legal means.
The CPC will convene the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee inNovember, which will set the agenda for reform in the coming years.
Since the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee 35 years ago, reformhas vitalized the Chinese society, dramatically changed people's lives, and cultivated openminds and belief in the rule of law.
It could be anticipated that no matter what kind of reform is introduced or what kind ofsignal is sent out by the November meeting, it cannot be manifested without the rule oflaw. （Editor：ZhangQian、Liang Jun） Related reading
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