In a lengthy document published on October 28th the Communist Party called for no less than an "extensive and profound revolution" in the way China is governed. This would involve establishing "rule of law" by 2020 and giving new emphasis to a long-neglected constitution which, among other things, enshrines freedom of speech and of the press. However, the party means far less by all this talk than might be imagined. President Xi Jinping is embroiled in a campaign to instil discipline in his corruption-riddled party. He hopes a blast of fresh rhetoric and some legal reforms will help curb official abuses of power and the anger they fuel. It is not his plan to reduce the party's importance. The nearly 17,000-character "resolution" was endorsed by the party's 370-member Central Committee at an annual plenum five days earlier (pictured, above). Such documents are normally kept secret for a few days to allow lower-ranking party officials to digest them. The document, and the plenum itself, were striking. It was the first Central Committee meeting in the party's history to focus on building "rule of law", and it was the first time that the committee had given such a place of honour to the constitution. In the past the party has often preferred to keep quiet about it because of its liberal-sounding clauses, including the stirring declaration that "the state respects and preserves human rights".
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