China is poised to undertake reforms based on the "rule of law" as the Communist Party of China (CPC) kicked off its annual plenary meeting on Monday, marking the first time the party has adopted the principle to the meeting's central theme.

The four-day plenary session - held from Oct. 20 to 23 and attended by 370 Central Committee members - will deliberate on the CPC's draft report outlining potential reform programs that would comprehensively advance the rule of law, according to a an unnamed source with knowledge of the meeting.

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The draft report is based on the viewpoints solicited from inside and outside the CPC, including opinions from various government sectors and members of the 18^th CPC National Congress, the state-owned Xinhua news agency has learned.

For some time, CPC leaders have regarded China as a nation that is still in the first stages of socialism, but at the same time, is primed to take on the task of developing Chinese society in all aspects.

The CPC is then accordingly faced with a two-fold challenge - first, in ensuring the success of China's stability, reform and development; and second, to subsequently address any risks that could arise from the fulfillment of the first endeavor, sources familiar with the matter said.

Because of this, we can safely assume the rule of law will be a vital element in the achievement of the CPC's initiatives, the sources said.

China first adopted the rule of law principle in the 1990s. In 1997, the 15^th National Congress of the CPC decided to tag the principle as a basic strategy and the development of a socialist nation under such rule as a goal for modernization.

Last month, a statement issued following a Political Bureau CPC meeting said the rule of law must govern all aspects of socialist modernization efforts in order to achieve comprehensive reforms and improved socialism founded on Chinese culture.

TagsRule of Law, CPC Central Committee meeting