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By Shannon Tiezzi
Xi Jinping wants to celebrate China’s constitution without going too far into the realm of political reform.
Thursday marked the 32nd anniversary of China’s current constitution. In previous years, the day passed with little fanfare, but not in 2014. On December 4, China celebrated its first-ever National Constitution Day, a sign of Xi Jinping’s new emphasis on the “rule of law” in the wake of the Fourth Plenum.
In fact, the idea for Constitution Day itself came from the Fourth Plenum, which highlighted the role the constitution should play in establishing the rule of law in China. During the Fourth Plenum, Xi declared that “fully implementing the Constitution is the primary task and basic work in building a socialist nation ruled by law, and that the Constitution is the country’s basic law and the general rule in managing state affairs.” To underline this belief, the plenum recommended that December 4 be declared “Constitution Day” to better publicize the role China’s constitution should play in governing the country.
Speaking ahead of the ceremonies to mark the new anniversary, Xi reiterated that “the Constitution’s authority is paramount.” Xi has made the constitution a central part of his push for strengthening the rule of law in China, a fact highlighted by the extensive Chinese media coverage of Constitution Day. “For any country committed to the rule of law, a constitution is a necessary foundation to govern the country in line with law,” one Xinhua op-ed declared.
Read the full story at The Diplomat