On the morning of April 12th, Shenzhen University, in collaboration with the Judicial & Law Enforcement Committee of the Shenzhen Municipal Committee (the Municipal Law Society), organized a symposium focused on thoroughly implementing the Opinions on Strengthening Legal Education and Legal Theory Research in the New Era (hereinafter referred to as the Opinions), issued by the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council. Director Zhang Wenxian, a Party member of the China Law Society, director of the Academic Committee, and chief legal consulting expert of the Shenzhen Law Society, delivered a speech. The event was attended by more than 60 leaders, scholars, teachers, and students from SZU, the Judicial & Law Enforcement Committee of the Shenzhen Municipal Committee (the Municipal Law Society), the Judicial & Law Enforcement Committee of various districts (the District Law Society), various disciplinary research societies of the Municipal Law Society, and related units.
The symposium was presided over by Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of SZU, Wang Yuexing. The first session featured focused statements by relevant units on the theme.
Distinguished Professor at SZU and Dean of the Law School, Liu Jun, emphasized that the Opinions, as a central document for the first time, will integrate China's legal education and legal research into the strategy of comprehensively advancing the rule of law, facilitating systematic design and overall planning. It serves as a programmatic document and action guide for guiding China's legal education and legal research. As the only comprehensive university law school in Shenzhen, the school deeply comprehends the spirit of the Opinions and has been implementing reforms in faculty assessment and evaluation systems. Additionally, the school has strengthened theoretical and practical research on the construction of a city governed by the rule of law.
Cao Hailei, a member of the Party Committee of the Municipal Bureau of Justice and a full-time secretary of the Party Committee of the Municipal Legal Profession, highlighted the Comprehensive Rule of Law Office of the Municipal Party Committee's significant efforts in implementing the Opinions. This includes formulating the Opinions' implementation plan in Shenzhen to support legal education at SZU Law School and Peking University School of International Law. Furthermore, they aim to construct a legal think-tank with Shenzhen characteristics and launch an implementation plan for the cultivation of rule of law talents in Shenzhen, including the establishment of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Foreign-related Lawyers College.
Chen Xinzhe, an official at Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court Level I Division, emphasized two key aspects of implementing the Opinions in Shenzhen courts: enhancing judicial research and rule of law theoretical research, and strengthening cooperation with universities to set up internship bases and conduct research.
Sun Aijun, a Member of the Procuratorial Committee of the Municipal People's Procuratorate, outlined specific initiatives of the Municipal Procuratorate to implement the Opinions, including strengthening investigation and research, constructing a marine procuratorial system, mobilizing more talents in procuratorial research, and focusing on integrating the rule of law in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area.
Chen Zhifeng, Deputy Director-General of the Municipal Education Bureau and Party Member, noted that the Education Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality is formulating an implementation plan for optimizing higher education disciplines, with law majors at SZU Law School and Peking University School of International Law as key construction disciplines. The Education Bureau aims to promote law education in Shenzhen, encourage schools without law majors to strengthen law education, and advance the construction of law disciplines.
The second part of the meeting featured speeches from participants. Professor Wang Ying, Dean of the School of Economics at Shenzhen Polytechnic University; Professor Zhao Dan, Assistant Researcher at the Institute of Political and Legal Affairs of the Municipal Academy of Social Sciences; Professor Song Ming of SZU Law School; Professor Mao Shaowei, Vice Dean of the School of International Law at Peking University; Associate Professor Song Xuguang, Associate Dean of SZU Law School; and Professor Ye Haibo, Associate Dean of SZU Law School, along with other experts and scholars, expressed their views on the Opinions' spirit and the construction of law disciplines in Shenzhen universities.
The third part of the meeting featured a keynote speech by Director Zhang Wenxian. Zhang highlighted the significant importance of the Opinions to legal education, talent cultivation, legal research, and the construction of the rule of law. He emphasized the Opinions' status as both party and administrative regulations, reflecting the will of the party and the state. Furthermore, he underscored the Opinions' role as a programmatic document and action plan, combining strategic thinking, layout, and concrete operation. Zhang also outlined the basic spirit of the Opinions in five points, emphasizing its alignment with Xi Jinping's thought on the rule of law and its focus on legal education and theoretical research.
In conclusion, Liu remarked that Director Zhang provided a comprehensive explanation of the Opinions' background and key contents, serving as crucial guidance for further study and implementation. SZU will conduct thorough research and systematic design to ensure effective implementation and promotion of legal education.
