坚持党的领导、人民当家作主、依法治国有机统一
党的领导、人民当家作主和依法治国是十一届三中全会以后，邓小平思考中国政治体制改革的三个基本问题，也是1979年地方人大常委会设立之后，在党的领导下充分发扬民主和严格依法办事的实践中所取得的基本经验。1997年召开的党的十五大指出：“依法治国把坚持党的领导、发扬人民民主和严格依法办事统一起来”。2002年召开的党的十六大正式提出了“发展社会主义民主政治，最根本的是要把坚持党的领导、人民当家作主和依法治国有机统一起来”。党的领导是人民当家作主和依法治国的根本保证，人民当家作主是社会主义民主政治的本质特征，依法治国是党领导人民治理国家的基本方式，三者统一于我国社会主义民主政治伟大实践。在中国政治生活中，党是居于领导地位的，加强党的集中统一领导，支持人大、政府、政协和法院、检察院依法依章程履行职能、开展工作、发挥作用，这两个方面是统一的。要改进党的领导方式和执政方式，保证党领导人民有效治理国家；扩大人民有序参与政治，保证人民依法实行民主选举、民主协商、民主决策、民主管理、民主监督；维护国家法制统一、尊严、权威，加强人权法治保障，保证人民依法享有广泛权利和自由。巩固基层政权，完善基层民主制度，保障人民知情权、参与权、表达权、监督权。健全依法决策机制，构建决策科学、执行坚决、监督有力的权力运行机制。各级领导干部要增强民主意识，发扬民主作风，接受人民监督，当好人民公仆。
The unity of party leadership, running of the country by the people, and law-based governance
Leadership by the Party, running of the country by the people, and law-based governance were the three major issues Deng Xiaoping mulled over regarding China's political structural reform following the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee. They were also the Party's basic experience in promoting democracy and rule of law after standing committees were established in local people's congresses in 1979.
The 15th CPC National Congress held in 1997 pointed out, "The rule of law combines upholding the Party's leadership, giving rein to people's democracy and acting strictly in accordance with the law." The 16th CPC National Congress held in 2002 stated, “The key to developing socialist democratic politics is to integrate the requirements to uphold the leadership of the Party, have the people as the masters of the country, and follow the rule of law.”
Party leadership is the fundamental guarantee for ensuring that the people run the country and governance in China is law-based; that the people run the country is an essential feature of socialist democracy; and law-based governance is the basic way for the Party to lead the people in governing the country. These three elements are integral components of socialist democracy.
In China’s political life, our Party exercises leadership. Strengthening the centralized, unified leadership of the Party on the one hand and, on the other, supporting the people's congresses, governments, committees of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), courts, and procuratorates in performing their functions and playing their roles in accordance with the law and their charters, form a unified pair.
We will improve the way the Party exercises leadership and governance to ensure that it leads the people in effectively governing the country. We will expand the people's orderly political participation to see that in accordance with law they engage in democratic elections, consultations, decision-making, management, and oversight. We should uphold the unity, sanctity, and authority of China's legal system, and strengthen legal protection for human rights to ensure that the people enjoy extensive rights and freedoms as prescribed by law. We should both consolidate government and improve the institutions of democracy at the primary level to ensure the people's rights to be informed, to participate, to be heard, and to oversee.
We will improve mechanisms for law-based decision-making, and put in place mechanisms for the exercise of power that ensure sound decision-making, resolute execution, and effective oversight. Officials at all levels must have a deeper understanding of democracy, be democratic in their conduct, willingly accept public oversight, and perform as they should in their role as public servants.