By Li Yaokun, Research Team on “Research on Innovation and Development of China’s Rural Governance in the New Era,” Institute of Public Administration and Human Resources, DRC

Research Report, Special Issue, No.52, 2019 (Total 1680) 2019-8-2

Abstract: In June 2019, China’s central government issued Guidelines on Strengthening and Improving Rural Governance, highlighting the focuses on improving the capacity of rural governance, promoting rule of law in rural areas, and enhancing rural legal services and standardizing rural law enforcement. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, rural governance based on the rule of law has seen remarkable achievements with accelerated promotion of the rule of law in rural communities as well as steadily improved rural democracy and public legal services. Meanwhile, rural governance based on the rule of law has covered more diverse entities and the guarantee for the rule of law has been improved as related departments continue to explore better modes of implementing the rule of law. However, problems still remain as the concept of rule of law has not yet been fully accepted in rural areas. China’s rural areas also see unsophisticated legal systems, unsound environment for the rule of law, inadequate law-based governance of the entities, low-quality public legal services, insufficient legal guarantee of rural autonomy and weak foundation in promoting the rule of law. To further promote rural governance based on the rule of law in the new era, related departments need to improve top-level design and accelerate promoting law-based governance on rural entities. Efforts are also needed to enhance legal guarantee systems, strengthen technological support as well as improve talent supplies and inspection and evaluation mechanisms.

Key words: rural governance, grassroot-level governance, rule of law