Looking back on the glorious course and not forgetting the initial intention of the rule of law ＂the first time of the rule of law in new China＂
1950
The first law of new China was promulgated.
On April 13th, 1950, the seventh meeting of the Central People’s Government Committee passed the Marriage Law of the People’s Republic of China, which was the first law promulgated after the founding of New China.
The Marriage Law of the People’s Republic of China completely subverts the traditional marriage of "parents’ orders and matchmakers’ words", and abolishes the dross of feudal marriage system such as arranged marriage, concubinage and men’s divorce at will. The principles of freedom of marriage, monogamy, equality between men and women and protection of the legitimate rights and interests of women and children established by it are still in use today and have become the basic content of marriage and family legislation in China.
1950
The first Supreme Law Work Report was born.
On June 17, 1950, Shen Junru, then president of the Supreme People’s Court, made the Work Report of the People’s Court at the second session of the First National Committee of the China People’s Political Consultative Conference, which was the first work report in the history of the Supreme People’s Court.
The court work report system is a court system with China characteristics, which was conceived in the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region. After the founding of New China, it was established and developed, reflecting the constitutional relationship between state power organs and judicial organs under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
In 1951
The first regulation on household registration management was promulgated.
On July 16th, 1951, the Ministry of Public Security promulgated the "Provisional Regulations on Urban Household Registration Management", which stipulated the measures to control the birth, death, immigration, emigration and "social change" (social identity) of the population.
The household registration system is a basic social governance system. The household registration bears all aspects of life, such as birth and death, school employment, weddings and funerals, social security benefits, and affects the joys and sorrows of thousands of families. As the first household registration regulation after the founding of New China, the Provisional Regulations on Urban Household Registration basically unified the national urban household registration system and opened the curtain of household registration system reform in China.
1954
Establish the people’s mediation system for the first time
In 1954, the General Rules for the Provisional Organization of the People’s Mediation Committee was promulgated by the State Council, which marked the formal establishment of the people’s mediation system in New China.
People’s mediation refers to the activities of persuading the parties to a dispute under the auspices of the People’s Mediation Committee in accordance with laws, policies and socialist ethics, promoting mutual understanding and mutual accommodation, and reaching an agreement on their own initiative to eliminate disputes. It is a form of mediation outside litigation recognized by Chinese laws and is known as the "Oriental experience" in resolving contradictions. It is a great pioneering work in the construction of socialist legal system in China, and it is also a distinctive legal system in China.
1964
Put forward the "four modernizations" for the first time
From December 21, 1964 to January 4, 1965, the First Session of the Third National People’s Congress was held in Beijing. According to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China’s suggestion, Zhou Enlai first put forward the main task of developing the national economy in the future, that is, the goal of "four modernizations" in the Government Work Report. Generally speaking, it is necessary to build China into a powerful socialist country with modern agriculture, modern industry, modern national defense and modern science and technology in a short historical period, and catch up with and surpass the advanced world level.
1954
The first constitution of new China was adopted unanimously.
On the afternoon of September 20th, 1954, 1,197 delegates attending the first session of the First National People’s Congress voted, and the first constitution of People’s Republic of China (PRC) was unanimously passed, which was called the May 4th Constitution in history.
The May 4th Constitution stipulates that all state power belongs to the people, and the organs for the people to exercise power are the National People’s Congress and local people’s congresses at various levels. The formulation of the May 4th Constitution has opened a new era of socialist democracy and legal system construction in China.
1978
Striped crosswalk line for the first time
In May 1978, Beijing first reformed the crosswalk line, changing the triangular crosswalk line into the striped crosswalk line, commonly known as "zebra crossing".
Small zebra crossing reflects great progress in traffic management. From the beginning of the founding of New China, most road traffic can only rely on walking, to the bicycle becoming the mainstream means of transportation, and then to the increasing popularity of motor vehicles after the reform and opening up, the traffic environment in China has undergone earth-shaking changes. Local public security traffic control departments actively adapt to the new situation of economic and social development and strive to create a safe, orderly and smooth road traffic environment for the broad masses of the people.
1979
It is clear for the first time that the procuratorate is a legal supervision organ.
The Second Session of the Fifth National People’s Congress was held in Beijing from June 18th to July 1st, 1979. The Organic Law of the People’s Procuratorate of People’s Republic of China (PRC), which was deliberated and adopted at this meeting, made it clear for the first time that "the People’s Procuratorate is the legal supervision organ of the state". By the end of 1979, procuratorial organs at all levels in China were basically re-established.
Subsequently, the "1982 Constitution" clearly stipulated that "the people’s procuratorate is the legal supervision organ of the state". In 2018, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate completed the reform of its internal organs, re-established 10 procuratorial business organizations, improved criminal prosecution, strengthened civil prosecution, implemented administrative prosecution, and improved public interest litigation prosecution, promoted the comprehensive, coordinated and full development of the "four major procuratorates", and further improved and perfected the legal supervision function.
1979
For the first time, the differential election of NPC deputies was stipulated.
In 1953, the first general election after the founding of New China was carried out on a large scale, and this election was conducted in equal numbers. On July 1, 1979, the Second Session of the Fifth National People’s Congress made substantial amendments to the electoral law and the local organization law, stipulating that the election of deputies to the National People’s Congress and local people’s congresses at all levels should be conducted by differential elections.
Deputies to county and township people’s congresses are directly elected by voters in the constituency, with a difference of 1/3 to 1 times; Districts of the city, province and the country to implement indirect elections, by the next level people’s Congress to elect superior representatives, the difference must reach 1/5 to 1/2. Leaders of local governments, members of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, presidents of courts and chief procurators of procuratorates have also begun to conduct differential elections.
1979
The first provincial people’s congress standing Committee was established
People’s congresses at all levels in China generally meet only once a year. Before 1979, local people’s congresses at all levels did not have a special standing body, and their powers of legislation, supervision, decision on major issues and appointment and dismissal of personnel could not be exercised in time. On July 1, 1979, the Second Session of the Fifth National People’s Congress passed a resolution on amending some provisions of the Constitution and the revised organic law of local people’s congresses and local people’s governments at all levels, stipulating that local people’s congresses at or above the county level should set up standing committees.
On August 14th of the same year, the Xizang Autonomous Region Municipal People’s Congress Standing Committee was proclaimed, which was the first provincial people’s congress standing committee established in China.
In 1982
The first special police force was born in Beijing.
In 1982, China’s first special police force was born in Beijing, and it was called China ground anti-hijacking special police force. In the late 1980s, the social security situation was constantly changing, and serious violent crimes and border terrorist activities began to breed. According to the spirit of the Ministry of Public Security’s instructions on setting up a special force to deal with serious violent crimes, Foshan City, Guangdong Province established China’s first public security special police team at the end of 1988.
Since then, a large number of public security special police teams have mushroomed in various places. The public security special police team is the backbone of social patrol prevention and control, and it is also the "fist" and "sharp knife" force to maintain stability, fight terrorism and control violence, and plays an irreplaceable role in the whole public security work.
In 1982
First inspection of administrative law enforcement.
Since 1982, Heilongjiang has explored and carried out law enforcement inspections, and selected some important laws and regulations for law enforcement inspections. From 1987 to 1988, the Heilongjiang provincial government carried out a major inspection of law enforcement in the whole province for two consecutive years, such as the Sino-foreign joint venture law, the land management law, the compulsory education law, the accounting law and other important laws and regulations, as well as local laws and regulations and government regulations.
These inspections have corrected many cases of illegal law enforcement, provided valuable experience for standardizing administrative law enforcement, strengthening law enforcement supervision and improving law enforcement system, and have important demonstration significance in the whole country.
In 1983
The first law passed after two deliberations.
On September 2, 1983, the second meeting of the 6th the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) passed the maritime traffic safety law after the second deliberation. This is the first legal case in China that has been deliberated and promulgated twice.
In March 1983, Peng Zhen proposed at the chairman’s meeting that any draft law submitted to the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) should be put on the agenda of the Standing Committee meeting. After the Standing Committee agreed to put it on the agenda, it should first listen to the explanation of the draft law at the Standing Committee meeting and make a preliminary deliberation, and then submit the draft law to the Law Committee and relevant special committees for deliberation and put forward suggestions for revision. At the same time, members of the Standing Committee will bring back the draft law and relevant materials for study, and then review the draft law at the next or later meeting of the Standing Committee. This provision was included in the rules of procedure of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) formulated in 1987.
In 1985
The first five-year law popularization plan was introduced.
On November 5, 1985, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council issued a circular forwarding the Five-year Plan of the Ministry of Justice of the Central Propaganda Department on Popularizing Legal Knowledge to All Citizens. On November 22nd, the 13th meeting of the 6th the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) passed a resolution on the basic popularization of legal knowledge among citizens, which stipulated that from 1986, we should strive to conduct a general education of legal knowledge among all citizens who have the ability to receive education in a planned and step-by-step manner in about five years, and gradually make it institutionalized and regular.
Since then, a grand project to popularize legal knowledge and carry out legal publicity and education among hundreds of millions of people has been launched in China. The five-year cycle of law popularization has now reached the "Seventh Five-Year Plan".
In 1986
The first grass-roots court administrative tribunal was established.
On October 11th, 1986, the first administrative court of grass-roots courts in China was established in the People’s Court of Miluo County, Hunan Province, and the local practice of "accusing officials by the people" began.
Since then, administrative tribunals have been established in courts all over the country, and China’s administrative trials have entered the track of rule of law, and the case of "people suing officials" has begun to enter the public eye. On May 1, 2015, the Administrative Procedure Law, which has been implemented for 25 years, was revised, which once again guaranteed the advancement of administrative trials in the system.
In 1986
The setting of the first juvenile prosecution group
In June, 1986, the People’s Procuratorate of Changning District, Shanghai set up the first juvenile prosecution group in China, which became the starting point for the establishment of the procuratorial work for minors in Shanghai and even the whole country, and took the first step of professional exploration.
With the continuous improvement of unchecked institutions, procuratorial organs at all levels have made bold innovations, and gradually formed a series of special procuratorial mechanisms for juvenile criminal cases, such as social investigation, suitable adults, social care, conditional non-prosecution, criminal reconciliation, review of the necessity of detention, and sealing of criminal records, which shows the "special care" for minors.
In 1986
First lecture on legal system held in Zhongnanhai
At 9: 00 am on July 3, 1986, the first lecture on legal system for central leading comrades was held in Huairentang, Zhongnanhai. The leading comrades of the Central Committee listened to Sun Guohua’s "Some Opinions on the Performance and Function of Law" here.
On August 28th, Zhang Jinfan gave the second lecture "On the Reference of China’s Legal Historical Experience", followed by Wang Houli’s third lecture "Diplomatic Struggle and International Law" and Jiang Ping’s fourth lecture "Economic Construction and Legal Construction". The central leadership took the lead in studying law, which greatly promoted the popularization of law among the whole people.
In December, 1994, the central leading collective started learning the law again, and gradually formed a system.
In 1986
For the first time, it is proposed to strengthen the supervision of law enforcement
In March, 1986, at the Fourth Session of the Sixth National People’s Congress, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC)’s work report first proposed to strengthen supervision over the implementation of the Constitution and laws.
In the same year, the Education, Culture, Health, Finance and Economics Committee of the National People’s Congress, together with the relevant departments of the State Council, went to Jiangsu, Hunan, Sichuan and other provinces to investigate the implementation of the compulsory education law, focusing on the planning of the nine-year compulsory education, the main problems and the measures taken, and proposed that the implementation plan of the compulsory education law should be formulated according to local conditions and in a realistic way.
In 1986
First time to use electronic voting device
The 15th meeting of the 6th the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) held in March, 1986 adopted electronic voting device for the first time. Since the Third Session of the Seventh National People’s Congress in 1990, the National People’s Congress has also begun to use electronic voting devices.
The computer system only digitally superimposes the four results of approval, opposition, abstention and failure to press the voter. In just a few seconds, the voting results will be displayed on two electronic screens in front of the venue, which greatly improves the efficiency.
In 1986
The first 110 alarm station was officially opened.
On January 10, 1986, the 110 alarm station of Guangzhou Public Security Bureau was officially opened, becoming the first 110 alarm station in China.
The full name of 110 is "110 alarm service platform", which was originally a single Fei Jing telephone and existed in the early days of the founding of New China. In 1980s, great changes have taken place in China’s public security, so it is necessary to build an alarm desk that integrates alarm, command and handling. Today, 110 has gradually developed into a compound command hub, becoming a frontier position to combat crime and a comprehensive platform to help the masses.
1987
Put forward the concept of "government legal system" for the first time
In April 1987, the concept of government legal system was put forward for the first time at the first national conference on government legal work. The legal work of the government is an important task for governments at all levels to carry out legislation, law enforcement and legal supervision at different levels in accordance with their statutory authority in the process of managing national political, economic, cultural and social affairs and promoting the development of social rule of law, as well as to implement macro-planning and organize supervision and implementation of government management activities according to law.
With the development of building a government ruled by law, the legal work of our government has gone through more than 30 years. The legal work of the government is an important part of the government organization to promote administration according to law, which is of great significance to comprehensively promote administration according to law and build a government ruled by law.
1988
The first reporting center of procuratorial organs was unveiled.
On March 18, 1988, the economic crime reporting center of Shenzhen People’s Procuratorate of Guangdong Province was unveiled, creating the first reporting center of the national procuratorate, which is of symbolic significance in the reform of the procuratorial system.
In the process of cracking down on economic crimes, procuratorates at all levels pay great attention to relying on the strength of the masses. The establishment of the report system organically combines the special legal supervision of the state with the democratic supervision of citizens, and has become a powerful weapon and an important means for Chinese citizens to fight against duty crimes, and has also become the main source and channel for judicial organs to discover and master the clues of duty crimes.
1988
The first report on the work of the Supreme Law is "difficult to implement"
In April, 1988, the "implementation difficulty" appeared for the first time in the Work Report of the Supreme People’s Court, and the people’s court embarked on a journey to tackle the implementation difficulty.
In March 2016, the Supreme People’s Court made a solemn commitment to the society that "it will take two to three years to basically solve the difficult implementation problem". In the past three years, the national courts have gone all out to overcome difficulties, and achieved great results in implementation, basically forming an implementation system, mechanism and model with China characteristics, laying a solid foundation for effectively solving implementation difficulties.
1989
The mechanism of "people can sue officials" was established for the first time.
On April 4th, 1989, the National People’s Congress passed the Administrative Procedure Law of the People’s Republic of China. With the implementation of this law on October 1st, 1990, the administrative litigation system in China was formally established.
In 1989, the Administrative Procedure Law put forward for the first time that administrative organs must act according to law, and administrative actions must be based on facts, laws and legal procedures. For the first time, the government shows that it is responsible to the people and the law, and the democratic era of "people can sue officials" has begun, which is an epoch-making milestone in the history of democratic political development in China.
1989
The first local anti-corruption bureau was established in Guangdong
On August 18, 1989, the first anti-corruption and bribery bureau of the national procuratorate was established in the People’s Procuratorate of Guangdong Province.
In the fourth quarter of 1988, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate adjusted its work, taking punishing corruption and bribery crimes as the first task in cracking down on economic crimes and as the focus of procuratorial work. In August 1989, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate renamed the Economic Procuratorate Office as the Corruption and Bribery Procuratorate Office. In 1995, the Supreme Anti-Corruption and Bribery Bureau was officially listed. At this time, more than 1,600 anti-corruption bureaus have been established by procuratorial organs at all levels in China. Procuratorial organs have played an important role in the anti-corruption struggle, providing a strong legal guarantee for the building of a clean and honest party style and economic and social development. Facing the new situation and new requirements of the anti-corruption struggle, in November 2016, the reform of the national supervision system was launched, and the anti-corruption and bribery departments of the four-level procuratorial organs nationwide gradually completed the transfer according to the timetable and road map.
1990
Establish a unified administrative reconsideration system for the first time
In order to better safeguard and supervise the administrative organs to exercise their functions and powers according to law and protect the legitimate rights and interests of citizens, legal persons and other organizations, the State Council promulgated the Regulations on Administrative Reconsideration in 1990, formally establishing a unified administrative reconsideration system.
After the promulgation of the Regulations on Administrative Reconsideration, the reconsideration system has been maturing and improving. In 1999, the Ninth Session of the Ninth the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) deliberated and passed the Administrative Reconsideration Law of People’s Republic of China (PRC), which improved the administrative reconsideration system at the legal level. In May 2007, the State Council promulgated the Regulations on the Implementation of the Administrative Reconsideration Law of People’s Republic of China (PRC), which further enhanced the operability of the administrative reconsideration system.
In 1991,
The first legislative plan was formally introduced.
In November 1991, the Legislative Plan of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) (October 1991-March 1993) was promulgated, which was the first legislative plan approved by the Central Committee.
On July 1, 1988, the second session of the Seventh the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) adopted the main points of work, made overall arrangements for its work in legislation, supervision, representation and foreign affairs during its five-year term, and clearly stated that the legislative work should be planned, focused and carried out in a planned and step-by-step manner. At this meeting, the "Preliminary Ideas on Five-year Legislative Planning" put forward by the NPC Law Committee was taken as an annex, which was a preliminary attempt of legislative planning in the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC).
In 1993,
The government work report first mentions "administration according to law"
On March 15th, 1993, the then Prime Minister of the State Council, Li Peng, put forward in the "Government Work Report" made on behalf of the State Council at the first session of the Eighth National People’s Congress that "governments at all levels should administer according to law and act in strict accordance with the law". The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China’s Decision on Several Issues Concerning the Socialist Market Economic System, which was issued on November 14th of the same year, also affirmed that "governments at all levels should administer and act according to law".
Since then, "administration according to law" as a system has gradually become widely known and has become an important yardstick for measuring government work.
In 1993,
The first legislative work plan was issued.
In 1993, the Eighth the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) issued the Opinions on the Arrangement of Legislative Work this year and next, which was the first time that the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) made a plan on legislative work. In 1995, the Eighth the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) began to formulate the annual work points of the Standing Committee, in which the legislative work of that year was deployed.
In 1994,
First deployment of customs intellectual property border protection
According to the requirements of the State Council, the General Administration of Customs issued the Notice on Strengthening the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights in Customs Supervision on August 23rd, 1994, which made arrangements for the customs protection of intellectual property rights for the first time, and opened a new chapter in the customs protection of intellectual property rights in China.
Customs protection of intellectual property rights has played a very important role in maintaining a fair and orderly international trade order, guiding enterprises to abide by the law and innovate independently, promoting the implementation of the national export famous brand strategy, and maintaining the international reputation of China products. Especially in recent years, closely following the national development strategy, the Customs has cracked down on the illegal acts of infringing goods by concentrating its law enforcement power and resources, effectively solved the infringement problems faced by enterprises, maintained a fair and orderly import and export trade order, provided strong intellectual property protection support for China enterprises to "go global" and vigorously promoted the implementation of the national innovation-driven development strategy.
In 1994,
The first prison code was promulgated.
On December 29th, 1994, the 11th meeting of the 8th the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) deliberated and passed the People’s Republic of China (PRC) Prison Law, which was the first socialist prison code promulgated by the new China.
Prison law is an important part of China’s criminal legal system and has an independent legal status in China’s legal system. The implementation of the prison law is a milestone in the history of prison development, which sets up the concept of prison governance by law, provides legal protection for cracking down on crimes, punishing and reforming criminals and safeguarding their human rights in China, and marks that China’s prison work has entered the track of comprehensive legalization.
the year of 1995
The first complete People’s Police Law was promulgated.
On February 28th, 1995, the People’s Police Law of the People’s Republic of China, which was passed at the 12th session of the Eighth the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC), clearly defined the functions and powers, tasks, basis of activities, obligations and discipline, organization and management, and police security of the people’s police, and also stipulated the law enforcement supervision and legal responsibilities of the people’s police.
The People’s Police Law is the first complete police basic law in the history of public security in China. In this context, the 19th National Public Security Work Conference held in February 1996 and the Ninth Five-Year Plan for Public Security Work issued in the same year clearly put forward the policy of "managing the police according to law" for the first time. After the promulgation and implementation of the People’s Police Law, the national legislation on public security work and the construction of public security team has been further accelerated, and the public security laws and regulations system has been continuously improved.
In 1997
The first summer camp for children of police heroes opened.
On August 12, 1997, the first national summer camp for children of police heroes and heroes opened in Beijing.
In order to maintain social stability and ensure the safety of one party, the people’s police are engaged in dangerous work, and many public security policemen have died in the line of duty. In order to comfort the heroic children of public security police and enrich their summer life, the Ministry of Public Security has held a national summer camp for heroic children of public security since 1997, so that they can get care and attention in life, study and work.
In recent years, the special care measures of the Ministry of Public Security and local public security organs have been further improved, and the soothing mechanism has been gradually improved, giving full play to the important role of rallying the police and boosting morale.
In 1998
For the first time, the Customs Anti-smuggling Police was established
From July 13 to 15, 1998, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council held a national conference on combating smuggling, and decided that all the armed forces, armed police and political and legal organs should stop doing business and running enterprises. Reform the anti-smuggling system, set up the customs anti-smuggling police, and implement the new methods of "joint anti-smuggling, unified treatment and comprehensive management" and "two lines of revenue and expenditure" for anti-smuggling fines.
On January 5, 1999, the Smuggling Crime Investigation Bureau of the General Administration of Customs was formally established and later renamed the Anti-smuggling Bureau of the General Administration of Customs. A full-time anti-smuggling team of China’s customs and a new kind of police in the public security department — — Anti-smuggling police were born. After the establishment of the customs anti-smuggling police, it has the power of criminal law enforcement, which has solved the long-standing situation of insufficient criminal crackdown on smuggling crimes.
In 1999,
Submit a sentencing proposal to the court for the first time.
In August, 1999, the People’s Procuratorate of Dongcheng District of Beijing took the lead in trying to "the public prosecutor expresses sentencing opinions in court". This reform has created two firsts: the first submission of legal documents on sentencing suggestions to the court; For the first time, the specific sentencing opinions of the public prosecution agency were clearly listed, and they were adopted.
In October, 2010, the Supreme People’s Law and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, together with other departments, issued the Opinions on Several Issues Concerning Standardizing Sentencing Procedure (Trial), and the sentencing suggestion system was formally confirmed in China’s judicial interpretation. In 2012, the revised Criminal Procedure Law formally wrote the procedure of court investigation and court debate on sentencing into law for the first time, stipulating that the facts and evidence related to conviction and sentencing should be investigated and debated during the court trial.
In 2001
The first national legal publicity day
On April 26th, 2001, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council forwarded the Fourth Five-Year Plan of the Central Propaganda Department and the Ministry of Justice on legal publicity and education among citizens, which determined that December 4th, the implementation date of China’s current constitution, would be the national legal publicity day. December 4th, 2001 was the first national legal publicity day. Establishing a national legal publicity day is conducive to further strengthening citizens’ constitutional concept and establishing constitutional authority; Promote the process of governing the country according to law; Legal publicity and education play a role in a wider field and a broader space and continue to develop in depth.
In 2002
Establish the blacklist system of bribers for the first time.
In 2002, the People’s Procuratorate of Beilun District, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province established the "bribery crime file inquiry" system for the first time in China, and the hospital included the bribery cases in the construction field handled since 1998 into the bribery database.
In July, 2002, the institute established a "blacklist" system on the basis of this "bribery crime file query" system, selected some bribers with serious circumstances and bad nature from the database and classified them into the "blacklist". By providing "honest consultation" service to the bidding unit, the builders with bribery stains will bear the necessary illegal costs and pay appropriate prices in the project bidding, so as to curb and reduce bribery in the construction field.
In 2003
The legal aid system was formally established for the first time
On July 16th, 2003, the State Council passed the Regulations on Legal Aid, which marked the first formal establishment of China’s systematic legal aid system, reflected the country’s practical protection of citizens’ basic rights granted by law, provided equal judicial protection for litigants, and was conducive to improving and perfecting the lawyer legal system.
The legal aid system is a legal guarantee system in which the state provides legal assistance to the socially weak who are unable to protect their rights through legal remedies in a general sense due to economic difficulties or other factors at all links and levels of the judicial system.
In 2004
Clarify the goal of building a government ruled by law for the first time.
On March 22nd, 2004, the "Implementation Outline of Comprehensively Promoting Administration by Law" issued and implemented by the State Council clearly stated for the first time the goal of building a government ruled by law: separating government from enterprise, separating political affairs, basically straightening out the relationship between government and market, government and society, and basically putting the government’s functions of economic adjustment, market supervision, social management and public service in place. The functions and authorities between the central government and local governments, and between government departments are relatively clear. An administrative system with standardized behavior, coordinated operation, fairness, transparency, honesty and high efficiency has basically taken shape. An administrative law enforcement system with clear powers and responsibilities, standardized behavior, effective supervision and strong guarantee has been basically established.
In addition to basically achieving the goal of building a government ruled by law, this document also clarifies the guiding ideology, basic principles, basic requirements, main tasks and safeguard measures for comprehensively promoting administration according to law in the next decade. This is of great significance for implementing the basic strategy of governing the country according to law, persisting in governing for the people, comprehensively promoting administration according to law and building a government ruled by law.
In 2004
The witness protection system was implemented for the first time.
In August 2004, the People’s Procuratorate of Baoan District, Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province implemented the witness protection system, which was the first in China’s judicial practice.
For witnesses who will be or have been hurt by serious threats of violence because of their testimony, the procuratorial organs can implement 24-hour personal protection. In addition to protecting the life safety of witnesses, their property, reputation and their close relatives are included in the scope of protection.
In 2005
The first draft law was solicited for comments online.
From June 26th to July 1st, 2005, the 16th meeting of the 10th the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) held the third deliberation on the draft property law. From July 10th, China People’s Congress published the full text of the draft property law (the third review draft), soliciting opinions from the public. In more than a month, a total of 2,249 people put forward 9,605 opinions online. This is the first time that the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) has published the full text of the draft law online and solicited opinions from the public.
In 2005
Hold the first legislative hearing
On September 27th, 2005, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) held its first legislative hearing.
Twenty representatives from different industries, different income levels and accents from all over the world gathered in Beijing. Each of them expressed their views within 8 minutes, which became an important basis for the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) to amend the individual income tax law and raise the tax threshold.
2010 years
Carry out special inquiry for the first time
In June, 2010, the 15th meeting of the 11th the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) held a special inquiry for the first time in combination with hearing and deliberating the central final accounts report and the audit work report.
Thematic inquiry belongs to the legal supervision form of inquiry, but compared with previous inquiries, thematic inquiry is well-prepared, focused and well-organized, and the questions and answers are more targeted and effective.
In 2011
Post-legislative evaluation report for the first time
In June, 2011, the report on the post-legislative evaluation of the relevant systems of the Science and Technology Progress Law and the report on the post-legislative evaluation of the relevant systems of the Agricultural Mechanization Promotion Law were submitted to the 21st session of the 11th the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) for deliberation. This is the first time that the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) has reviewed the post-legislative evaluation report.
In 2013
Evaluate before the first law is promulgated.
On April 17, 2013, before the second session of the 12th the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC), the the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) Law Committee invited 10 representatives, including NPC deputies, experienced tourists, tourism business operators, experts and scholars, to have a discussion, and asked them to evaluate and demonstrate the timing of the promulgation of the tourism law, the social effects of its implementation and possible problems in its implementation. This is the first time in the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC)’s history that a legal case was evaluated before it was introduced. The participants spoke freely and put forward a lot of valuable opinions. In the end, the Tourism Law was passed by a high vote at the second meeting of the 12th the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC), winning praise from all walks of life.
In 2013
For the first time, the Supreme Court judgment documents are concentrated on the Internet.
In July 2013, China Judgment Document Network was officially opened, and the Supreme People’s Court Judgment Document was centralized online for the first time. Since then, the people’s court has fully opened the door of judicial data to the society.
As of November 2018, the total number of documents exceeded 55 million, and the number of visits exceeded 20 billion. At present, China Judgment Document Network has become the largest judgment document network in the world, which means that the judicial ability, judicial level and trial quality of the people’s courts are being examined and tested by the people. The people’s courts ensure that all the contents that should be disclosed according to law are made public to the public, including not only the trial, but also the filing, division, trial, adjudication, closing and execution, so as to protect the people’s right to know, participate and supervise to the maximum extent.
In 2014
First mention the responsibility system of "who enforces the law and popularizes the law"
From October 20 to 23, 2014, the Fourth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee adopted the "Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Several Major Issues of Comprehensively Advancing the Rule of Law", which clearly put forward for the first time the responsibility system of "whoever enforces the law will popularize the law" in state organs.
In 2017, the General Offices of the General Office of the Central Committee of the CPC and the State Council issued the Opinions on Implementing the Responsibility System of "Who Enforces Law and Popularizes Law" for State Organs, requiring all localities and departments to fully implement the decision-making arrangements of the Party Central Committee on the publicity and education of the rule of law, and further clarify the duties and tasks of state organs in popularizing law according to the requirements of "Who Enforces Law and Popularizes Law", improve the working system, strengthen supervision and inspection, continuously promote the in-depth work of popularizing law in state organs, and strive to form unified leadership of party committees, with departments responsible for division of labor and perform their duties.
In 2014
The first national constitution day
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China’s Decision on Several Major Issues of Comprehensively Advancing the Rule of Law, adopted by the Fourth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, proposed that December 4th every year be designated as National Constitution Day. The 11th meeting of the 12th the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) voted to designate December 4th as the National Constitution Day.
December 4th, 2014 is China’s first National Constitution Day, and the state carries out constitutional publicity and education activities in various forms. The purpose of establishing National Constitution Day is not only to commemorate the birth of the Constitution of People’s Republic of China (PRC), but more importantly, to enhance the constitutional consciousness of the whole society, carry forward the constitutional spirit, strengthen the implementation of the Constitution, comprehensively promote the rule of law and build a socialist country ruled by law.
In 2014
The first cross-administrative procuratorate was established.
On December 28th, 2014, Shanghai People’s Procuratorate established the third branch of Shanghai People’s Procuratorate relying on Shanghai Railway Transport Procuratorate Branch. This is the first cross-administrative procuratorate established in China under the top-level design of the central judicial system reform.
The third branch of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Procuratorate has jurisdiction over not only the original cases involving railway transportation and rail transit, but also cases designated by the Shanghai Municipal People’s Procuratorate, including cross-regional major duty crimes, cross-regional major environmental resources protection and major food and drug safety criminal cases. Cross-administrative procuratorial reform, the core of which is "cross-administrative" and the focus is "special", aims to build a judicial management system that is properly separated from administrative divisions and ensure that procuratorial organs exercise procuratorial power independently and impartially according to law.
In 2014
First revision of environmental protection law
The environmental protection law is the basic law in the field of environmental protection in China, which has not been revised since it was promulgated on December 26, 1989. At the beginning of 2011, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) announced that the revision of environmental protection law would be included in the 2011 legislative plan. Subsequently, the former Ministry of Environmental Protection set up a leading group for the revision of the environmental protection law and drafted the first draft of the revision proposal.
On April 24, 2014, the newly revised Environmental Protection Law was deliberated and adopted at the Eighth Session of the 12th the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC), and came into force on January 1, 2015. The newly revised environmental protection law is called "the strictest environmental protection law in history" and "the law with teeth". The revision of the environmental protection law has aroused widespread concern from all walks of life, and the public has high hopes for the implementation of this law.
In 2015
The first administrative public interest litigation case in China
On December 16, 2015, the People’s Procuratorate of Qingyun County, Shandong Province filed an administrative public interest lawsuit in Qingyun County People’s Court according to law because the county environmental protection department failed to perform its duties according to law. This is the first administrative public interest litigation case in China after the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) authorized the procuratorial organ to initiate the pilot work of public interest litigation.
On December 22 of that year and March 1 of the following year, the procuratorial organs in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province and Baishan, Jilin Province handled the first civil public interest litigation case and the first administrative incidental civil public interest litigation case in China respectively.
At one time, it was common that environmental pollution was neglected and the loss of state-owned assets was not asked, and the interests of the masses were ultimately damaged. In July 2015, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate launched a pilot reform of public interest litigation in 13 provinces including Beijing, and handled 9053 public interest litigation cases in two years, saving the country direct economic losses of more than 8.9 billion yuan. In 2017, by amending the law, the public interest litigation system initiated by the procuratorial organs was formally established.
In 2015
Start the central eco-environmental protection inspector for the first time
In December 2015, in the face of the severe environmental situation, especially the persistent large-scale smog pollution in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei and its surrounding areas, the former Ministry of Environmental Protection announced that it would carry out environmental protection inspections for provincial party committees, governments and their relevant departments from 2016.
Central environmental protection (ecology) inspectors have solved a number of problems that have long been wanted to be solved in local areas but cannot be solved. Through the central environmental protection (ecological) inspector, the system of party and government sharing responsibility and one post and two responsibilities officially took root. In 2018, after the institutional reform in the State Council, the Central Environmental Protection Inspector was renamed as the Central Ecological Environmental Protection Inspector.
the year of 2016
Publicity and education on the rule of law appeared for the first time.
On March 25, 2016, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council issued a notice forwarding the Seventh Five-Year Plan of the Ministry of Justice of the Central Propaganda Department on the Promotion and Education of the Rule of Law among Citizens, which made a comprehensive deployment of the "Seventh Five-Year Plan". This is the first time that "publicity and education on the rule of law" has appeared in the legal popularization plan. From legal publicity and education to legal publicity and education, although it is a word difference, it contains profound changes in connotation, highlighting the cultivation of the concept and spirit of the rule of law, and highlighting the use of legal thinking and the ability to cultivate the rule of law.
the year of 2016
The first A-level wanted order for electric fraud was issued.
On April 10, 2016, the Ministry of Public Security officially issued an A-level wanted order, and publicly wanted 10 fugitives who were at large for telecommunication network fraud. The Ministry of Public Security will give a reward of 50,000 yuan to informants who have found clues, units or individuals who have assisted in arresting meritorious persons, and every time a criminal suspect is arrested. Chen Shiqu, deputy inspector of the Criminal Investigation Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, said that this is the first time that the Ministry of Public Security has issued an A-level wanted order to arrest fugitives from telecom fraud on a large scale, which shows the determination of public security organs to crack down on telecom fraud.
the year of 2016
Clean up the environmental violations of drinking water sources for the first time.
In May 2016, the former Ministry of Environmental Protection first launched the clean-up of environmental violations of drinking water sources in cities above the prefecture level in 11 provinces (cities) of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. By the end of 2017, all the environmental violations of drinking water sources in cities above the prefecture level in 11 provinces (cities) in the Yangtze River Economic Belt have been cleared up.
On this basis, in March 2018, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment launched a national special campaign for environmental protection of centralized drinking water sources, clearly proposing that the environmental violations of drinking water sources in 11 provinces (cities) in the Yangtze River Economic Belt and cities above the prefecture level in other regions should be cleaned up by the end of 2018; Before the end of 2019, all drinking water sources in cities above the county level should be cleaned up and rectified. The clean-up and rectification of environmental violations in drinking water sources will not only ensure the safety of drinking water for hundreds of millions of people, but also pay off the debts owed for more than 20 years since the implementation of the Water Pollution Prevention Law.
the year 2017
The first named prosecutor’s office was established.
On March 28, 2017, China’s first "named prosecutor’s office" was established in Shanghai Pudong New Area People’s Procuratorate.
The four "named prosecutor’s offices" established by the Procuratorate of Pudong New Area are directly named after the prosecutors. The four offices are professionally divided according to intellectual property rights, finance, cyber crime and major difficult cases involving foreign affairs and minors, with the main responsibility of handling specialized cases and key departmental cases, highlighting their expertise in the business field.
Since then, Tianjin, Sichuan, Guangxi and other places have begun to explore "naming the prosecutor’s office". It is a brand-new measure for procuratorial organs to deepen judicial reform, realize the organic unity of prosecutors’ responsibilities, rights and interests in handling cases, and improve the quality and efficiency of handling cases.
the year 2017
The first Internet court was established in Hangzhou.
On June 26, 2017, the 36th meeting of the Central Deep Reform Group reviewed and approved the Proposal on Establishing Hangzhou Internet Court. On August 18, 2017, Hangzhou Internet Court was unveiled, which is the first Internet court in China. Prosecution, mediation, filing, proof, cross-examination, trial, sentencing, delivery, execution and other litigation links are all completed online, and the lawsuit is finished without leaving home, which is the normal state of litigation through Hangzhou Internet Court.
The establishment of an Internet court is a major institutional innovation for the judiciary to actively adapt to the general trend of Internet development. Hangzhou Internet Court constantly explores the litigation rules of Internet-related cases, improves the trial mechanism, improves the trial efficiency, and provides a strong judicial guarantee for maintaining network security, resolving Internet-related disputes, and promoting the deep integration of the Internet and the economy and society.
the year 2017
The first national identity card.
Since the implementation of the ID card system, it has always been the responsibility of the public security organs where residents are registered. In recent years, a large number of residents have left their places of residence to work and live. Once their identity cards are lost, they must return to the public security organs where they are registered, which is time-consuming and costly. In order to change this situation, in July 2016, the Ministry of Public Security selected some cities to try out ID cards in different places. The trial operation has accumulated some experience and basically solved the existing problems. The Ministry of Public Security decided to implement the national identity card business in different places from July 1, 2017.
From July 1, 2017, the acceptance of identity cards in different places was implemented nationwide, and recently, entry and exit documents were issued nationwide. A series of measures have brought tangible convenience to the people, all of which show the important determination and courage of the public security organs to conscientiously implement the people-centered development thought and comprehensively and deeply promote the "streamline administration, delegate power, strengthen regulation and improve services" reform.
the year 2017
Constitutional oath of the first batch of judges in the Supreme Law
At 8: 30 am on July 3, 2017, the Supreme People’s Court held the constitutional oath ceremony for the first batch of post judges. President the Supreme People’s Court and Chief Justice Zhou Qiang of People’s Republic of China (PRC) took the oath.
The Supreme People’s Court held the first batch of constitutional oath activities for post judges, which marked the full implementation of the reform of the post system of judges in the national courts. It is not only a practical action to implement the national constitutional oath system, but also an important measure to further promote the reform of the judicial system, leaving a strong impression on the judicial system reform of the people’s courts. Today, more than 120,000 post judges have been selected nationwide, and more than 85% of court personnel have been concentrated in handling cases. Excellent case-handling forces have returned to the front line, the quality and ability of judicial personnel have been significantly improved, the quality and effectiveness of cases have been significantly improved, and the judicial credibility has been greatly enhanced.
the year 2017
Listen to the work report of filing and review for the first time
On December 24th, 2017, the 31st session of the 12th the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) heard the Report of the Legal Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee on the Filing and Examination since the 12th National People’s Congress and in 2017. This is the first time that the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) has heard about the record review. Since then, it has become an institutionalized work to listen to the report on filing and review every year.
the year 2017
The first the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) legislative work standard.
In December 2017, according to the requirements of the CPC Central Committee and the relevant provisions of the legislative law, around the key of "improving the quality of legislation", the General Office of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) issued "Work Specification for Argumentation and Consultation on Major Interest Adjustment Involved in Legislation" and "Work Specification for Introducing Third-Party Evaluation into Important Legislative Matters with Big Disputes". This is the first time that the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) has issued a legislative work standard. The two work norms mainly supplement, improve and perfect the existing legislative mechanism, so as to give full play to the leading role of the NPC in legislative work and the positive role of social forces in legislation, and strive to make every legislation conform to the spirit of the Constitution, reflect the will of the people and win the support of the people.
the year of 2018
For the first time, the constitutional oath of state leaders was held.
On March 17, 2018, the first session of the 13th National People’s Congress elected a new national leader. After that, a constitutional oath ceremony was held in the Great Hall of the People. The newly-elected president and the supreme leader of the Central Military Commission took the constitutional oath, the newly-elected Chairman the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) and the Vice President of the State took the constitutional oath respectively, and the newly-elected Vice Chairman the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) and the Secretary General took the collective oath. This constitutional oath is not only a vivid practice of rule of law, but also a profound constitutional education.
the year of 2018
Organizing the legal professional qualification examination for the first time
In September 2018, China organized the national unified legal professional qualification examination for the first time.
As the "threshold examination" of the legal profession, the national unified legal professional qualification examination has selected a large number of legal professionals for the country, who have made due contributions to the national democracy and legal system construction. The change of the "threshold examination" in the legal profession reflects the continuous development of the professionalization of legal persons in China, and also witnesses the process of rule of law in China.
the year of 2018
For the first time, a special inquiry was made on the work report of the "two highs"
On the morning of October 25th, 2018, the Sixth Session of the 13th the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) jointly reviewed the Supreme People’s Court’s Report on People’s Courts’ Solving Difficulties in Enforcement and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate’s Report on People’s Procuratorates’ Strengthening Legal Supervision of Civil Litigation and Enforcement Activities, and made special inquiries around the special work report. This is the first time that the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) has made a special inquiry on the work report of the "Two Highs" since the special inquiry was launched in 2010.
the year of 2018
The first constitutional publicity week
December 4, 2018 is the fifth National Constitution Day. From December 2nd to 8th, the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China, the Ministry of Justice and the National Law Popularization Office organized the first "Constitution Publicity Week" in China, and various localities and departments carried out a series of unique and effective publicity activities on constitution study. In-depth publicity of the Constitution, promotion of the spirit of the Constitution and maintenance of the authority of the Constitution in the whole society will help to give play to the important role of the Constitution in promoting the overall rule of law and building a socialist country ruled by law in the new era.