When the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) deployed to "comprehensively deepen reform on the track of the rule of law", and when the draft Private Economy Promotion Law reassured 180 million market entities, 2024 saw high-quality development safeguarded by the power of the rule of law. This year, the policy of progressive delay of the statutory retirement age was implemented, concerning the vital interests of hundreds of millions of workers; this year, the first civil public interest litigation case against "online troll gangs" was pronounced, wielding the judicial sword against online violence.2024 is a year driven by the dual wheels of reform and the rule of law.

I. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee Deploys Legal Reform: Comprehensively Deepening Reform on the Track of the Rule of Law

"Reform and the rule of law are like the two wings of a bird and the two wheels of a cart."

[Event Review]

In July 2024, the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was held in Beijing. The plenary session deliberated and adopted the "Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Comprehensively Deepening Reform and Promoting Chinese-Style Modernization", in whicha special chapter is dedicated to deploying the "improvement of the socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics", emphasizing that the Constitution must be fully implemented, the authority of the Constitution upheld, reforms in legislation, law enforcement, judicial justice, and law-abiding promoted in a coordinated manner, the mechanism for ensuring equality before the law improved, the socialist spirit of the rule of law promoted, social fairness and justice safeguarded, and all aspects of national governance conducted in accordance with the law.

[Lu Heng's Perspective]

The special chapter on the construction of the rule of law at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee marks a new stage in comprehensively advancing the rule of law in China. From the perspective of top-level design, the proposition of "comprehensively deepening reform on the track of the rule of law" clarifies the dialectical relationship between reform and the rule of law — major reforms must have a legal basis, and the construction of the rule of law must keep pace with the times.

2024 marks the70th anniversary of the establishment of the National People's Congress (NPC). Grand commemorative activities were held across the country to review the glorious course of the people's congress system. In this year, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress deliberated on39 draft laws, and adopted24 of them, including6 newly formulated laws and14 amended laws, achieving remarkable results in legislation and amendment.

The rule of law is becoming a solid guarantee for advancing Chinese-style modernization.

II. Collapse of Telecom Fraud Gangs in Northern Myanmar: Cross-Border Crackdown Protects People's "Pocketbooks"

The vision of "a world free of fraud" is becoming a reality.

[Event Review]

In 2024, China and Myanmar continued to deepen law enforcement cooperation and launched a thunderous crackdown on telecom and online fraud dens in northern Myanmar. Throughout the year, more than45,000 fraud-related personnel were repatriated and returned to China for handling, and a large number of fugitive fraud ringleaders and core members who had been on the run for years were successfully arrested and brought to justice.

Public security organs simultaneously carried out special operations such as "Cutting off the Flow" and "Pulling out the Nails", striking cross-border telecom fraud crimes across the entire chain. This landmark major achievement was selected as one of theTop 10 Influential Legal Events in China in 2024.

[Lu Heng's Perspective]

Telecom and online fraud is a "social tumor" abhorred by the people. In 2024, the landmark major achievement of China-Myanmar joint crackdown can be called thepeak battle in the fight against fraud.

From a legal perspective, cross-border crackdown on telecom fraud faces numerous difficulties such as jurisdiction, evidence collection, and suspect repatriation. The breakthrough progress in China-Myanmar law enforcement cooperation has accumulated valuable experience for future cross-border crime crackdowns. Since the Anti-Telecom and Online Fraud Law was officially implemented at the end of 2022, two consecutive years of crackdowns have made this law truly "show its teeth".

The collapse of telecom fraud gangs in northern Myanmar has spared countless families from the nightmare of being scammed and brought the vision of "a world free of fraud" closer to us.

III. Release of the Draft Private Economy Promotion Law: The Rule of Law Safeguards the Optimization of the Business Environment

"The rule of law is the best business environment."

[Event Review]

On October 10, 2024, the Ministry of Justice and the National Development and Reform Commission released theDraft for Comment of the Private Economy Promotion Law of the People's Republic of China, soliciting public opinions. This is China's first basic law specifically targeting the development of the private economy, consisting of nine chapters and seventy-seven articles, focusing on equal treatment, promotion of development, standardized operation, and protection of rights and interests.

The draft specifically stipulates that administrative and criminal means shall not be illegally used to intervene in economic disputes, regulates off-site law enforcement activities, and protects the reputation rights, honor rights of private enterprises, as well as the privacy rights and personal information of operators. The draft attracted great attention from all sectors of society and was selected as one of theTop 10 Influential Legal Events in China in 2024.

[Lu Heng's Perspective]

The private economy is a vital force for advancing Chinese-style modernization. In 2024, social public opinion paid close attention to phenomena such as "distant-water fishing"-style law enforcement that infringed on the rights and interests of private enterprises, and the legislative organs responded promptly.

The release of the draft Private Economy Promotion Law has given private enterprises a "reassurance pill" at the legal level. At the same time, administrative regulations such as the Fair Competition Review Regulations and the Regulations of the State Council on Implementing the Registered Capital Registration Management System of the Company Law of the People's Republic of China have been successively implemented, jointly weaving a tight legal network to protect the development of the private economy.

The rule of law is the best business environment. Only when entrepreneurs can operate with peace of mind and invest with confidence can the market burst with vitality.

IV. Implementation of the Policy of Progressive Delay of Statutory Retirement Age: Legal Response to Population Development

"A major institutional arrangement concerning the vital interests of hundreds of millions of workers."

[Event Review]

On September 13, 2024, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress adopted theDecision on Implementing the Progressive Delay of the Statutory Retirement Age, approving the Measures of the State Council on the Progressive Delay of the Statutory Retirement Age.

The decision clarifies that starting from January 1, 2025, over a 15-year period, the statutory retirement age for male employees will be gradually delayed from the original 60 to 63 years old, and the statutory retirement age for female employees will be gradually delayed from the original 50 and 55 years old to 55 and 58 years old respectively.

This is an important institutional arrangement for China to actively respond to the national strategy of population aging, and was selected as one of theTop 10 Events in the Development of China's Legal Society in 2024 and theTop 10 Influential Legal Events in China.

[Lu Heng's Perspective]

The delay of the statutory retirement age concerns the vital interests of hundreds of millions of workers. From a legal perspective, the introduction of this policy has gone through sufficient demonstration and extensive public consultation, reflecting thescientificity and democracy of legislation.

In 2024, the Decision of the State Council on Amending the Measures for National Festivals and Memorial Days was also issued, adding two more statutory holidays: New Year's Eve and May 2nd, and further standardizing the arrangement of compensatory leave. The State Council and the Central Military Commission also promulgated and implemented the Regulations on the Resettlement of Ex-Servicemen, improving the resettlement system for ex-servicemen.

The improvement of a series of systems in the field of social law demonstrates the country's high attention to people's wellbeing.