Huo Zhengxin: The Fundamental Purpose and Implementation Path of Advancing the Rule of Law in Foreign-Related Affairs
Since the 18th Party Congress, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has coordinated the strategic overall framework of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the world's profound changes unseen in a century [1]. It has integrated the comprehensive law-based governance of the country into the "Four Comprehensives" strategic layout to be advanced in a coordinated manner, proposed that the rule of law is an important component of national core competitiveness, required "persisting in the coordinated promotion of domestic rule of law and foreign-related rule of law," emphasized "strengthening legislation in foreign-related fields," and proposed "accelerating the formation of a systematic and complete system of foreign-related laws and regulations to enhance the effectiveness of foreign-related law enforcement and justice." These important expositions and deployments provide a fundamental basis for advancing foreign-related rule of law work, safeguarding our country's sovereignty, security, and development interests, and promoting the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.
The Development Trajectory of Foreign-Related Rule of Law Work in the New Era
Foreign-related rule of law is a concept formed based on China’s rule of law practice and exploration in the New Era, serving China’s development goals in the New Era. It reflects China's original contributions to the field of the rule of law and is a landmark concept of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law. Foreign-related rule of law work is a systemic project that has been continuously propelled, perfected, and developed under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law within the great practice of building socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era.
In October 2014, the Fourth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee proposed to "strengthen foreign-related legal work," raising requirements for foreign-related rule of law work for the first time. In February 2019, General Secretary Xi Jinping made clear work deployments for foreign-related rule of law work at the second meeting of the Central Committee for Comprehensive Law-Based Governance. In October 2019, the Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee included the strengthening of foreign-related rule of law work into the institutional arrangements for promoting the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity. In October 2020, the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee explicitly proposed for the first time the strengthening of the construction of the foreign-related rule of law system. In November 2020, the Central Conference on Work Related to Overall Law-Based Governance established Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law as the fundamental basis and guide for action for the comprehensive law-based governance of the country; "persisting in the coordinated promotion of domestic rule of law and foreign-related rule of law" was identified as one of the core tenets of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law. In October 2022, the report to the 20th Party Congress emphasized strengthening legislation in key, emerging, and foreign-related fields, and coordinating the promotion of domestic and foreign-related rule of law.
In November 2023, while presiding over the tenth collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 20th CPC Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping systematically elucidated a series of major theoretical and practical issues, such as why and how to strengthen foreign-related rule of law construction, providing the fundamental basis and guide for action for accelerating the construction of our country's foreign-related rule of law system and capacity on the new journey. In July 2024, the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee deployed work related to foreign-related rule of law from the two dimensions of "strengthening foreign-related rule of law construction" and "improving the foreign-related national security mechanism." In October 2025, the "Recommendations of the CPC Central Committee on Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development" adopted at the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee planned foreign-related rule of law work for the next five years in sections such as "Improving the National Security System" and "Promoting the Development of Socialist Democracy and the Rule of Law." This indicates that our Party has placed foreign-related rule of law within the overall layout of comprehensively building a great modern socialist country for planning and advancement. In November 2025, the Central Conference on Work Related to Overall Law-Based Governance further emphasized "strengthening the construction of the foreign-related rule of law system and capacity."
Through the above review, it can be seen that the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has gained an increasingly profound systemic understanding, an increasingly scientific theoretical explanation, and an increasingly clear strategic layout of the foreign-related rule of law. The proposal of the concept of foreign-related rule of law and the trajectory of advancing foreign-related rule of law work demonstrate that the Communist Party of China, based on China's rule of law practice in the New Era and the transformation of the forms of human civilization under the rule of law, is constantly refining new original theories and summarizing new regular practices. This provides guidance and solidifies the foundation for strengthening confidence in the rule of law and unswervingly following the path of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics.
The Fundamental Purpose and Implication of Foreign-Related Rule of Law Work
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The fundamental purpose of advancing foreign-related rule of law work is to better safeguard the interests of the state and the people through legal means, promote progress in the international rule of law, and move toward the building of a community with a shared future for humanity." This important judgment clarifies the value orientation and scientific connotation of foreign-related rule of law.
On one hand, it elucidates the mission and tasks of the foreign-related rule of law. With the continuous improvement of comprehensive national strength and the significant rise in the level of opening up, China's participation in international affairs has deepened, and the world's influence on China has also deepened. Currently, the world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation; relations between major powers affect the international situation, and the evolution of the international situation profoundly impacts domestic development. China's development is in a period where strategic opportunities and risks/challenges coexist, and uncertain and unpredictable factors are increasing. This spatio-temporal background means that China's domestic rule of law and the international rule of law are no longer clearly demarcated or isolated from each other, but rather influence and penetrate one another. As China moves toward the world, it must be adept at using the rule of law; through its own rule of law practice, China can promote the transformation of the international rule of law. The international rule of law promotes China's domestic rule of law; in particular, China's initiative to align with high-standard international economic and trade rules and achieve compatibility in rules, regulations, management, and standards is an important measure to improve the systems and mechanisms for high-level opening up.
Therefore, in the New Era, China must not only comprehensively advance the law-based governance of all aspects of the state to achieve the modernization of national governance and create a stable and harmonious domestic environment for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, but also coordinate the two domestic and international interests [2]. Through the construction of the foreign-related rule of law, China participates in global governance and the construction of the international rule of law, promotes the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, and creates peaceful and favorable external development conditions for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Thus, the function of foreign-related rule of law is clearly revealed: in response to the profound changes in the relationship between China and the world, it effectively integrates Chinese national governance with global governance. It is both an important guarantee for China to comprehensively promote law-based governance and realize the modernization of the national governance system and capacity, and an inevitable requirement for China, as a responsible major power, to participate in the construction of the international rule of law, promote the democratization and legalization of international relations, resolve the global governance deficit, and push for the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.
On the other hand, the fundamental purpose of advancing foreign-related rule of law work determines that foreign-related rule of law is not a closed, one-dimensional concept, but an open, two-dimensional concept. Specifically, foreign-related rule of law includes two dimensions and two orientations: domestic and international. The domestic dimension and orientation refer to the parts of China's domestic rule of law system involving foreign and international factors, including all aspects such as foreign-related legislation, law enforcement, justice, law observance, legal services, and talent cultivation in China in the New Era; these are constituent elements of the socialist system of laws with Chinese characteristics. The international dimension and orientation refer to the parts where China participates in the construction of the international rule of law through international legislation, cooperation in law enforcement and justice, collaboration in international legal services, and cultivation of international legal talent; these are the primary means by which China promotes the international rule of law and improves global governance through legal methods.
The Practical Path for Strengthening the Construction of the Foreign-Related Rule of Law System and Capacity
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Foreign-related rule of law work is a systemic project with a wide scope and strong connectivity. We must coordinate domestic and international affairs, coordinate development and security, persist in forward-looking thinking, overall planning, strategic layout, and holistic advancement, strengthen top-level design, and integrally advance foreign-related legislation, law enforcement, justice, law observance, and legal services to form a pattern of great synergy in foreign-related rule of law work." This important exposition clarifies the path and methodology for advancing foreign-related rule of law work.
First, strengthen the Party's comprehensive leadership and accelerate the strategic layout of foreign-related rule of law work. The leadership of the Communist Party of China is the fundamental guarantee for our country to overcome various external risks and challenges, and the greatest institutional advantage for accelerating the construction of our country's foreign-related rule of law system and capacity. Facing an increasingly complex and severe external environment, to achieve the fundamental purpose of advancing foreign-related rule of law work, we must persist in and strengthen the Party's comprehensive leadership, uphold systemic thinking and a holistic perspective, carry out systematic planning and integrated advancement from a strategic and global level, and form a collaborative foreign-related rule of law work pattern where all links—legislation, law enforcement, justice, law observance, legal services, and legal talent cultivation—promote and connect with each other.
Second, persist in giving priority to legislation, combining legislation, revision, abolition, and interpretation, and quickly build a system of foreign-related laws and regulations that is evidence-based for safeguarding rights, orderly in opening up, and equipped for both offense and defense. The foreign-related legal system is an important part of the national legal system and the foundation of the foreign-related rule of law, playing an important role in consolidating fundamentals, stabilizing expectations, and benefiting the long term. Legislative bodies should persist in prioritizing urgent needs, focus on long-term planning, and—through focused and step-by-step formulation of new laws, as well as the revision, interpretation, and abolition of outdated legal provisions—accelerate the establishment of a systematic and complete system of foreign-related laws and regulations with perfected rules. This provides the legal guarantee for achieving the fundamental purpose of advancing foreign-related rule of law work.
Third, improve the effectiveness of foreign-related law enforcement and justice, and build a coordinated and efficient implementation system for the foreign-related rule of law. Emphasis should be placed on improving foreign-related law enforcement capacity building, increasing the transparency and stability of our country's foreign-related laws and regulations in law enforcement practice, and creating a first-class market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized business environment. In the process of announcing cases involving counter-sanctions, counter-interference, and counter-"long-arm jurisdiction," administrative law enforcement agencies should further strengthen the explanation of laws and reasoning, promoting the "explanation of law through cases" [3] to effectively safeguard national interests and China's national image as a follower of the international rule of law. Compared with administrative law enforcement agencies, judicial organs are more neutral and professional in resolving transnational disputes and are more easily accepted by the international community. We should further strengthen the modernization of the foreign-related adjudication system and adjudication capacity, and—through reform and institutional innovation—enhance the international credibility, attractiveness, and reputation of our country's judiciary, continuously strengthening the role of the people's courts in the foreign-related rule of law system.
Fourth, improve the level of foreign-related legal services to more effectively safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the state, enterprises, and citizens. Through unremitting efforts, China's foreign-related legal service industry has achieved significant development, but it does not yet match the rapidly growing demand. Wherever national interests extend, foreign-related legal services must follow. Through institutional innovation, we should accelerate the cultivation of a group of world-class law firms and arbitration institutions, improve policy support measures, and support Chinese law firms and arbitration institutions in "going global." Taking the promulgation and implementation of the commercial mediation regulations as an opportunity, we should accelerate the construction of several commercial mediation organizations with international influence. Efforts should be made to promote a greater role for the "International Organization for Mediation" (IOMed), the world's first intergovernmental international organization dedicated to mediation initiated and established by our country. We should promote the construction of a "one-stop" diversified international commercial dispute resolution platform that organically links litigation, mediation, and arbitration, improving China's competitiveness and attractiveness as a preferred venue for international commercial dispute resolution and Chinese law as the governing law for international commercial disputes.
Fifth, actively participate in and strive to lead the formulation of international rules, promote the formation of a fair, reasonable, and transparent system of international rules, and enhance our country's discourse power and influence in the transformation of the global governance system. In the New Era, China is not a passive recipient or a simple executor of the international rule of law. The fundamental purpose of promoting the foreign-related rule of law indicates that our country has the ability, the will, and the means to push for and promote the transformation of the international rule of law through its own exploration and rule of law practice, thereby making a Chinese contribution to the balanced, healthy, and fair development of the international rule of law. Therefore, we must strengthen confidence in the rule of law, enhance "full-chain" participation in the formulation, interpretation, and application of international rules, pay more attention to the influence of Chinese rule of law theory and practice on the development and evolution of international law, better integrate Chinese rule of law concepts and experience into international rules, and contribute Chinese strength to promoting progress in the international rule of law.
Currently, the strategic overall framework of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the world's profound changes unseen in a century are interacting and surging together. At this critical historical moment, strengthening the construction of the foreign-related rule of law is both a long-term requirement for comprehensively promoting the building of a strong country and the cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese-path modernization, and an urgent task for advancing high-level opening up and responding to external risks and challenges. On the new journey, we must earnestly study and understand General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on foreign-related rule of law work, comprehensively implement the Party Central Committee’s decisions and deployments on strengthening the construction of the foreign-related rule of law, and—with more active historical responsibility and creative spirit—accelerate the construction of our country's foreign-related rule of law system and capacity. We must better safeguard national and people’s rights and interests through legal means, promote progress in the international rule of law, and push for the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.