Xi Jinping Thought on Rule of What - A content analysis of Xi Jinping Thought on Rule of Law

Abstract: In 2012, Xi Jinping launched a major legal reform in China. 10 years on “Xi Jinping Thought on Rule of Law” is a well-established and widely used term. This thesis systematically investigates the nature of this legal doctrine through the lenses of rule of law and rule by law. Furthermore, it discusses the feasibility of using Western legal doctrines in non-Western contexts. The data used for the analysis is the book On Persistence in Comprehensively Governing the Country According to the Law (论坚持全面依法治国), which was published in 2020 by the Institute of Party History and Literature of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. It contains 54 texts and speeches on the subject of law, by Xi Jinping. The thesis concludes that Xi Jinping Thought on Rule of Law entails elements of procedural rule of law and rule by law. The continues leadership of the CCP is paramount and framed as essential for China’s further development. Furthermore, the thesis identifies a conceptual catch-22 mechanism, which the CCP uses as a source of legitimacy for its continued governance.