The Chinese government issued a white paper on the socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics Thursday.

Released by the State Council Information Office, the white paper introduces the establishment, components and features of the socialist system of laws and hails the establishment of the system as an important milestone in China's development of socialist democracy and the legal system.

Governing China by law and building a socialist country under the rule of law is a fundamental principle for the Communist Party of China, says the white paper.

"A socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics has been solidly put into place," the white paper says. "It is an important milestone in China's development of socialist democracy and the legal system, and showcases the great achievements of reform, opening up and the socialist modernization drive."

The socialist legal system of laws with Chinese characteristics, which is based on the conditions and reality of China, meets the needs of reform, opening up and the socialist modernization drive, and reflects the will of the Communist Party of China(CPC) and the Chinese people, has been put in place by the end of 2010, says the white paper, titled "the Socialist System of Laws with Chinese Characteristics."

According to the white paper, the system is an organic integration of the related laws of the Constitution, civil and commercial laws, administrative laws, economic laws, social laws, criminal laws, litigation and non-litigation procedural laws and other legal branches.

As of August 2011, the Chinese legislature had enacted 240 effective laws including the current Constitution, 706 administrative regulations, and over 8,600 local regulations, according to the white paper.

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