On December 7, 2017, the launching of the Blue Book on theLocal Rule of Law in China (2017) was held in the conference room of CASS Law Institute. The event was attended by officials from International Trade Arbitration Commission, and General Office of the Government of Guizhou Province, judges from Shanghai Maritime Court and Higher People’s Court of Jiangsu Province, scholars and experts from some universities and research institutions, as well as reporters from some mass media in Beijing. .

The launching ceremony was presided over by Professor Tian He, Director of the CASS Center for the Study of National Index of the Rule of Law. Mr. Xie Shouguang, President of Social Sciences Academic Press, gave the first speech at the launching ceremony in which he full confirmed the high quality of Blue Book on Local Rule of Law in China (2017) and hoped that in the future the Team of the Blue Book on the Rule of Law in China would continue to maintain its objectiveness, neutrality and authority and strengthen its guidance to the construction of local rule of law. In his speech, Professor Chen Su, Secretary of Joint Party Committee of CASS Law Institute and CASS Institute of International Law, gave a brief introduction to the Blue Book on Local Rule of Law in China (2017) and hoped that the book would be able to play a positive role in promoting the progress of the rule of law and the prosperity of legal research in China.

Professor Li Lin, Director of CASS Law Institute and Editor-in-chief of the Blue Book, introduced the General Report of the Blue Book; Mr. Gu Chao, the Secretary General of China Arbitration Commission, gave a Report on Maritime Arbitration in China in 2016; Ms. Wang Xiaomei, an associate research fellow of CASS Law Institute, summarized parts of the Blue Book relating to the development of the judicial system, including basic solution of difficult problems in judicial enforcement, the construction of intelligent courts, maritime disputes, and judicial transparency; Associate Professor Zhou Jing of Chinese Academy of Governance introduced the report on legislative transparency; Professor Xu Hui of CASS Law Institute analyzed the community correction system with Chinese characteristics; Associate Professor Huang Jin of CASS Law Institute gave a report on Safeguarding the Development of Pilot Free Trade Zones with the Rule of Law; Associate Professor Li Yanjie of CASS Law Institute introduces reports in the Blue Book on the openness of local government affairs; and Assistant Professor Xu Bing of CASS Law Institute introduced the innovative practices of construction of local rule of law by various local governments in 2016-2017 from the points of view of upgrading of public services, improvement of social governance, and strengthening of the protection of citizens’ rights and interests. Finally, Professor Tian He gave a summarization of the main content of the launching ceremony and thanked the experts, scholars, judges, government officials and reporters for their participation in the launching of the book.