From November 17 to 18, the Central Conference on Comprehensive Law-Based Governance was held in Beijing. President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made an important instruction. He fully affirmed the major achievements in the pursuit of law-based governance in China since the 18th CPC National Congress, laid out important plans for advancing comprehensive law-based governance on the new journey, and stressed the need to uphold the organic unity of Party leadership, the people being the masters of the country, and law-based governance. He called for focusing on improving the system of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics and building a country based on socialist rule of law at a higher level. He also urged efforts to advance law-based governance in all respects, promote the rule of law in all fields of national work, and ensure sound lawmaking, strict law enforcement, impartial administration of justice, and observance of the law by everyone.Thought illuminates the journey and guides the way forward on the path ahead. In November 2020, the Central Conference on Comprehensive Law-Based Governance was convened for the first time in the Party’s history. The conference established the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law in the pursuit of comprehensive law-based governance, a milestone in the process of developing the socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics. Over the past five years, China has kept updating the system of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics with the Constitution at the heart to reflect the times; formulated and implemented a plan for building law-based governance in China, an outline for implementing law-based government administration, and an outline for developing a law-based society; and advanced the improvement of a law-based business environment, carried out special inspections on law enforcement and judicial accountability, and punished illegal and criminal activities in accordance with the law. Thanks to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, historic achievements have been made in the pursuit of comprehensive law-based governance, providing a strong guarantee for creating new miracles in China.The first volume of Selected Readings from Xi Jinping’s Works on the Rule of Law was published recently, providing an authoritative source for members of the Party and the Chinese people to gain a deeper understanding of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, especially Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law. By closely connecting the breakthroughs in advancing law-based governance in China in recent years and the transformative practices unfolding around us, we are able to better appreciate the power of truth and practice contained in this important thought and strengthen our resolve and confidence to stay on the path of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics. On the new journey of the new era, we must follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, take comprehensive law-based governance as a profound revolution in state governance, and strive in a more conscious manner to build a modern socialist country in all respects on the track of rule of law, so as to create a new situation in the pursuit of law-based governance in China.“We should pay greater attention to ensuring that the rule of law is advanced together with reform, development, and stability, and do more to use it to protect and promote social fairness and justice,” said President Xi, pointing out the priorities of advancing comprehensive law-based governance with the “two areas of greater attention.” Here, we focus on how to promote the coordination of the rule of law with development to enhance our understanding.On May 30 this year, not long after the Private Economy Promotion Law came into effect, the administrative division of the Supreme People’s Court applied the law for the first time in a case, ruling that a government department should pay more than 8 million yuan in compensation to an enterprise. The rule of law creates solid foundations, stable expectations, and long-term benefits. It is the strength of the rule of law that backs up private enterprises, making businesses truly feel that “the rule of law is the best business environment,” so they can feel reassured and focus on development.President Xi stressed, “To apply the new development philosophy and achieve a shift from high-speed growth to high-quality development, we must uphold the rule of law as our guide.” Thanks to the rigorous enforcement of the Yangtze River Protection Law and other laws and regulations, the smiling angels, or Yangtze finless porpoises, that were once rare visitors have returned. To build open gateways, the Hainan Free Trade Port Law and other regulations were formulated and introduced, helping the Hainan Free Trade Port take shape and prepare to start island-wide independent customs operations. By promoting high-quality development with high-standard rule of law, we are making progress in a more steady manner and gaining stronger momentum.The CPC’s proposals for the 20th CPC Central Committee’s fourth plenary session set “building a socialist country under the rule of law at a higher level” as a main goal for economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), and proposed efforts to build a law-based and credit-based economy and create a first-class business environment that is market-based, law-based, and internationalized. For the future, to truly meet the requirement of paying greater attention to ensuring that the rule of law is advanced together with development, we must be good at applying the rule of law thinking and the rule of law approach to boost economic and social development, respond to risks and challenges, accelerate the efforts to build a high-standard socialist market economy, and steadily develop stable, open, and sound systems and regulations, so as to provide solid foundations, lasting impetus, and broad space for high-quality economic and social development.We are pursuing a pioneering cause without parallel in history and undertaking uniquely grand and ambitious innovative practices in the history of mankind. The key is to have confidence, patience, and action. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, we will fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, keep moving forward on the path of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics, and bolster the foundations and gather the strength for the rule of law. By doing so, we will surely ensure that Chinese modernization continues to advance steadily and endure. (Liaoxin Press)