Fidelity to constitution, rule of law to hasten China's renewal: expert

The renewal of the Chinese nation as envisioned by President Xi Jinping hinges on obedience to the constitution and the rule of law by elected officials and citizens from all walks of life, a Kenyan scholar said on Saturday.

Macharia Munene, a professor of international relations at the Nairobi-based United States International University (USIU) said that loyalty to the constitution and respect to the rule of law underpins China's modernization.

"There can be no rule of law without a clear acceptance of the primacy of the constitution in China or any other place," Munene told Xinhua during an interview.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has been at the forefront advocating for adherence to the constitution and rule of law at all levels of government and in the wider society to accelerate renewal in the World's second largest economy.

Macharia emphasized that fidelity to the rule of law is a universal virtue that not only instill patriotism among citizens but also motivates them to work harder to advance their nation's prosperity.

"The 'rule of law' in any society creates a sense of confidence and assures the people in it that the advancement and protection of their interests is not held hostage by an individual or a few individuals," Munene remarked.

President Xi in his address to the fourth plenary session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in October 2014 stressed the importance of advancing the rule of law.

He urged party and state officials to obey time honored tenets that have made China a robust socialist and economically advanced nation.

Munene agreed that China's socialist system that places the interests of every citizen at the heart of governance and policy making has served the country well.

"Socialism implies the primacy of the people as the masters of their own destiny. If the people are masters of their own destiny and if they internalize the constitution, they will have no problem adhering to the rule of law," Munene said.

Munene noted that respect to the rule of law has promoted good governance and social cohesion since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.

"Certainly the rule of law enhances governance in a state because it instills confidence that officials will do the right thing at the right time," Munene pointed out.

He noted that political and structural reforms that China undertook since 1949 have unleashed peace and prosperity.

"The current reforms of weeding out indiscipline is reportedly to instill rule of law in dealing with both internal and global challenges," Munene remarked.

Chinese leaders have demonstrated unwavering commitment to promote rule of law, order and patriotism in order to accelerate the country's political, social and economic revival.

Munene hailed efforts by President Xi Jinping to promote good governance and ethical behavior in the public service.

"The article by President Xi on 'Accelerating the Establishment of Socialist Rule of Law in China' was comprehensive in outlining what China needs to do. Raising public awareness was one of the things he emphasized," said Munene.

He added that an enlightened citizenry will be in a better position to critique the performance of state officials and deter them from engaging in unethical behavior.

Munene noted that greater citizen's involvement is a prerequisite to enhance appreciation of the rule of law and other constitutional tenets.

"The people should internalize the idea of the rule of law with Chinese characteristics within the context of a socialist system rather than the characteristics of other powers," Munene remarked. Enditem