编者按：党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央统筹中华民族伟大复兴战略全局和世界百年未有之大变局，带领全党全国人民取得历史性成就。在党的二十大召开之际，CGTN《先声夺人》推出《全景解码中国之道》系列，十大主题，十年印记，通过十篇评论大稿，全面解读中国成功之道。此篇主题为“立木建信”则国兴，聚焦十八大以来中国法治方面取得的进展和成果。Editor’s note: Over the past decade, China has made great accomplishments while navigating through a tumultuous global environment. As the 20th Communist Party of China National Congress approaches, CGTN First Voice has prepared a ten-part series titled “The China Path: A Panoramic Decoding” to take you through the landmarks and watershed events over the past ten years and decode the secret of China’s development. This is part four of the series, focusing on the rule of law in China’s governance.春秋战国时期，秦国在政治、经济、文化各方面都比中原各诸侯国落后，但是这并没有阻碍最终秦国统一六国的历史进程。“以法而治”则是秦国迅速跻身强国之列、最终称霸四方的重要原因之一，秦国政治家商鞅立木建信的故事也随之流传下来。During the Warring States Period, the state of Qin lagged behind the vassal states in Central China politically, economically and culturally. Yet, this did not stop Qin from conquering the other six major states and unifying the whole country. One of the major factors underlying the emergence of Qin was the "rule by law." Among many well-known stories about Qin, one related to a politician named Shang Yang.当时，商鞅起草了一个改革的法令，但是怕老百姓不按照新法令去做，便请人在都城的南门竖了一根三丈高的木头，贴出告示说：如有人将这根木头搬到北门就赏十金。所有民众都不信，直到将赏金提升至五十金时，才有一壮士将木头搬到了北门，商鞅如约赏给了他五十金。此举树立了法令的权威性，也为之后商鞅变法和秦国强盛奠定了基础。Shang Yang drafted a reform decree but worried that people would not follow it. Accordingly, he erected a 10-meter-tall wooden pole at the south gate of Qin’s capital city and placed a notice announcing that anyone who could move the pole to the north gate would be rewarded with 10 gold pieces. No one believed it until the reward was increased to 50 gold pieces. A man fulfilled the task and was rewarded. This helped build trust among the people, establishing the authority of the decree, and paving the way for legal reforms initiated by Shang Yang that had led to the prosperity of the Qin state.法治的重要性毋需多言。以古鉴今，如今中国的迅速崛起与其法治建设不无关系。Therefore, the rule of law cannot be overstated, as well as serving as a crucial component behind China's rapid rise in recent decades.2012年11月，习近平总书记提出，实现中华民族伟大复兴，就是中华民族近代以来最伟大的梦想。中国梦的实现离不开制度建设，离不开法治保障。法治兴则中国兴，法治废则中国危。法治是实现中国梦的制度基础。In November 2012, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that national rejuvenation has been the greatest dream of the Chinese people since modern times began. The Chinese dream cannot be realized without institution building and rule of law. When the rule of law prevails, China will prosper; when it weakens, the country will be jeopardized.党的十八大以来，中国特色社会主义进入新时代，依法治国的治国方略发展到全面依法治国的新阶段。中国的法治建设成就不胜枚举，读懂中国法治建设归根结底就是在举什么旗、走什么路、由谁领导、为了谁等根本问题上，抓大事，谋大局，牢牢把握我国法治发展的政治方向。After the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), socialism with Chinese characteristics entered a new era. The law-based governance has developed to a new stage in all fields. To understand China's rule of law, one must understand its guiding principles, along with whose leadership it follows and whom it serves.十八大以来党中央高举马克思主义法治理论旗帜不动摇，形成了习近平法治思想，开辟了中国特色社会主义法治道路。习近平总书记指出“全面推进依法治国，必须走对路。如果路走错了，南辕北辙了，那再提什么要求和举措也都没有意义了。”The central government holds high the banner of Marxist theories of law and is guided by the Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law. President Xi said that we must follow the right path or otherwise all the measures would no longer make sense.中国法治发展不是按照西方法治模式。十八大以来党中央反复强调坚持中国特色社会主义法治道路，最根本的是坚持中国共产党的领导。党的领导是党和国家事业不断发展的“定海神针”，是我国社会主义法治之魂，是我国法治同西方资本主义国家法治最大的区别。China's development on the rule of law is different from that in the West. At the heart of the path of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics is the leadership of the CPC, serving as the anchor.然而，一些西方媒体总是将党的领导妖魔化。在中国，党的领导和社会主义法治是一致的。一方面，社会主义法治必须坚持党的领导，“党大还是法大”是一个政治陷阱，是一个伪命题。只有在党的领导下依法治国，人民当家作主才能充分实现。中国法治不同于西方国家的建立在“三权分立”基础上的法治。在中国，国家能力是法治建设的必要条件，一个强有力的法治政府也更能得到人民群众的认可。在一些发展中国家，国家能力的缺乏可能导致法治建设失败、甚至给人民带来深重灾难。中国的经验说明，如果没有共产党的坚强领导，遑论法治建设水平的稳步提升。Some Western media outlets have continued to demonize the CPC’s leadership. In China, the Party's leadership and socialist rule of law remain compatible with each other. The latter is premised on the former, so the question "Which has more power, the Party or the Law?" acts as a political trap and pseudo proposition, since only in a law-based governance system led by the Party can the Chinese become the real masters of their beloved homeland. China's rule of law differs from the one based on the "separation of powers" in the West. In China, national power is the prerequisite for the rule of law and a powerful law-based government can be trusted by the people. Although in some other developing countries, inadequacies in national power have led to disastrous consequences for their respective citizens. China's experience has demonstrated that without the CPC's firm leadership, steady development of the rule of law would be impossible.另一方面，党的领导必须依靠社会主义法治，对于党政机关、各级领导干部来说，权大还是法大则是一个真命题。权力是一把双刃剑，在法治轨道上行使可以造福人民，在法律之外行使则必然祸害国家和人民。要健全党领导全面依法治国的制度和工作机制，完善党领导立法、保证执法、支持司法、带头守法制度，推进党的领导制度化、法治化，通过法治保障党的路线方针政策有效实施。要坚持依法治国和依规治党有机统一，确保党既依据宪法法律治国理政，又依据党内法规管党治党、从严治党。For leaders and cadres at different levels in the Party and political organs, however, "Which has more power, the Party or the Law?" is not a pseudo proposition. Power is a double-edged sword that if wielded within the framework of the rule of law, could serve the interests of the people, but might be a scourge for the country and its people. Hence, efforts should be made to improve implementation of the Party-led rule of law in all fields, consolidating Party-led legislation, ensuring enforcement of the law, supporting the judiciary, encouraging Party members to take the lead in observing the law, to promote the institutionalization and reinforcing the law-based nature of the Party's leadership, and ensuring effective implementation of the Party's principles and policies. Meanwhile, China's law-based governance should be integrated with rule-based governance of the Party to ensure that the Party governs the country in accordance with the constitutional law and that it governs itself in accordance with internal regulations.法治建设依靠谁、为了谁关系着法治建设的群众基础、阶级基础，决定着法治建设的所有举措坐在哪边、有利于谁。十八大以来以习近平同志为核心的党中央时刻不忘法治建设以人民为中心的根本宗旨，全面依法治国最广泛、最深厚的基础是人民，必须坚持为了人民、依靠人民。要把体现人民利益、反映人民愿望、维护人民权益、增进人民福祉落实到全面依法治国各领域和全过程。In accordance with the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the CPC Central Committee, with President Xi at its core, has held fast to people-centered rule of law. The rule of law in all fields draws its strength and broadest support from the people. Relevant measures must reflect the aspirations of the people, safeguard the people's rights, as well as promote the people's wellbeing.共产党打江山、守江山，守的是人民的心。从毛泽东的“为人民服务”到习近平的“以人民为中心”，这是中国共产党引领我国法治发展的主旋律，是我国法治建设之所以行的最深厚根源。全球最大公关咨询公司艾德曼发布《2022艾德曼信任晴雨表》显示，2021年中国民众对政府信任度高达91%，同比上升9个百分点，蝉联全球第一，达到10年来的新高纪录。在国家综合信任指数方面，中国高达83%，同比增长11个百分点，位列全球首位。As the Party has consolidated its leadership over the country, it has maintained the people's support. From Mao Zedong's "serve the people" to Xi Jinping's "put people first," these are the main principles guiding the development of rule of law in China standing at the root of China's success. According to the 2022 Trust Barometer released by Edelman, one of the world's largest public relations and marketing consultancy firms, China yet again topped the list of trust among citizens in their government with an astonishing 91 percent of respondents saying they trusted the government, registering a year-on-year increase of nine percent and hitting a ten-year high. China also came first with an overall trust index of 83, up by 11 points as compared to last year.人民的信任是中国得以“立木建信”的基础，也是中国在短短几十年内取得迅猛发展的秘诀所在。People's trust is what underpins the development of the rule of law in China. It is also the key to the country's rapid rise within the past few decades.推荐阅读： 先声夺人｜解锁中国绿色发展奇迹 CGTN先声夺人之全景解码中国之道｜大国外交利天下