Chinese Modernization and the Rule of Law

XU Xianming*

The report to the 20^th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) points out that Chinese modernization “contains elements that are common to the modernization processes of all countries, but it is more characterized by features that are unique to the Chinese context.” ¹To gain a scientific understanding of Chinese modernization, it is imperative to grasp both its distinctive Chinese characteristics and the common features of modernization processes of all countries around the world, as well as to comprehend both its essence and principles and the pathways to its realization. For the first time, the report to the 20^th CPC National Congress dedicated a separate chapter to “Exercising Law-based Governance on All Fronts and Advancing the Rule of Law in China,” ²and put forward the important proposition of “striving to build a modern socialist country in all respects under the rule of law.” This article intends to explore the relationship between Chinese modernization and the rule of law, offering a preliminary analysis of relevant theoretical issues and practical pathways in accordance with the guiding principles of the 20^th CPC National Congress, with the aim of deepening understanding of this important proposition.