Ying Yong, Prosecutor General of the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) of China, delivers the "Attorney-General's Lecture" in Singapore.
Singapore's Attorney-General Lucien Wong delivers a welcoming speech at the lecture.
Ying Yong, Prosecutor General of the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) of China, delivered the "Attorney General's Lecture" in Singapore on Oct 28.
Ying was in Singapore as head of the Chinese delegation attending the 14th China-ASEAN Prosecutors-General Conference and delivered the lecture at the invitation of Singapore's Attorney-General Lucien Wong.
In a speech titled "China's Procuratorial Work in the Course of Chinese Modernization", Ying introduced China's historic achievements in advancing modernization under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC). He spoke of the significant role the rule of law has played in Chinese modernization, as well as the practices of procuratorial authorities guided by Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law.
Ying laid out examples on handling cases in the fields of justifiable defense, civil appeal in environmental pollution liability disputes, administrative appeal in work-related injury determinations, and public interest litigation on "drug instructions", explaining the relevant functions of Chinese procuratorial authorities.
He cited the movie Article 20, which was released during the Chinese New Year holiday and depicts three stories based on real cases handled by China's procuratorial authorities.
"The Chinese procuratorial authorities have used typical cases of justifiable defense, which have sparked widespread discussions in society and apply the provisions of justifiable defense in the Criminal Law, to demonstrate a clear position that lawfulness does not yield to lawlessness," Ying said.
"Some instructions of medicines have tiny, ant-sized fonts on the label, making it difficult for seniors to read them clearly and understand the precautions for medication, thus posing safety risks,” Ying added.
"Chinese procuratorial authorities have fulfilled their public interest litigation function in accordance with the law, issuing procuratorial recommendations to drug regulatory authorities and manufacturers to transform such drug instructions into larger fonts, Braille versions, audio versions and so on, to ensure medication safety."
In the process of advancing modernization, Ying said China has always attached great importance to the rule of law and upheld it rigorously. Those cases are epitomes of the law-based performance of duties for Chinese procuratorial authorities amid the country's modernization drive, reflecting the progress and achievements China has made in the rule of law, he noted.
Ying emphasized that Chinese modernization is a significant goal that the Chinese people, led by the CPC, have pursued through long-term exploration and practice, representing the aspiration of generations of Chinese people.
It contains elements that are common to the modernization processes of all countries, but it is more characterized by features that are unique to the Chinese context, he added.
Ying underlined that Chinese modernization is the modernization of a huge population, of common prosperity for all, of material and cultural-ethical advancement, of harmony between humanity and nature, and of peaceful development.
Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the CPC has led the Chinese people in achieving miraculous levels of economic development and long-term social stability, he said.
Ying emphasized that, since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, China has made historic achievements and undergone historic transformations, continuing to write the new chapter of the "two miracles" - rapid economic growth and long-term social stability.
In this process, China has steadfastly promoted law-based governance on all fronts, and resolutely followed the path of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, providing a solid foundation, enduring impetus, and a fair and just environment for Chinese modernization, he said.
Based on specific provisions of China's Constitution and relevant laws, Ying explained the role, positioning and main functions of the Chinese procuratorial authorities. He said that the socialist procuratorial system with Chinese characteristics is a concrete manifestation of socialist rule of law in the field of prosecution.
The procuratorial authority is China's legal supervision body, a judicial organ ensuring the uniform and correct implementation of laws, an important force protecting national and public interests, and a vital component of the State supervision system, he said.
Chinese procuratorial authorities, along with supervisory, investigative, adjudicatory, and judicial administrative organs, shoulder various responsibilities and are guided by mutual cooperation and mutual restraint to ensure the accurate and effective implementation of the law, he added.
Ying said the Chinese procuratorial authorities are fully implementing the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress, the second and third plenary sessions of the 20th CPC Central Committee, focusing on the goal of "striving to make the people feel fairness and justice in every judicial case", strictly fulfilling their duties according to the law and effectively handling each case with high quality and efficiency.
They are also promoting the comprehensive and coordinated development of the "Four Major Procuratorial Functions" in criminal, civil, administrative and public interest litigation, and continuously advancing the procuratorial practice of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, to better support and serve Chinese modernization, he noted.
In his concluding remarks, Ying focused on the bilateral relationship between China and Singapore, saying that the two countries are friendly neighbors and important partners.
Under the strategic guidance of the leaders of both countries, China and Singapore have jointly embarked on a successful path of mutual learning, mutual understanding and win-win cooperation, setting an example of cooperation for other countries in the region, he said.
Noting that exchanges and cooperation in the judicial field are essential components of the bilateral relationship, Ying said the SPP is willing to work with Singapore's Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) to further consolidate consensus, strengthen exchanges, learn from each other, and deepen cooperation, in a bid to provide high-quality judicial support for the countries' high-quality socioeconomic development as well as the advancement of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and deliver more benefits to both countries and their peoples.
Delegates from China and ASEAN, who are in Singapore for the 14th China-ASEAN Prosecutors-General Conference, listen to Ying Yong's lecture.
The "Attorney-General's Lecture" is a biennial series organized by Singapore's AGC to bring together global leaders in law and other related disciplines to share insights on the rule of law with the local legal community.
More than 500 participants from the legal, business and academic communities in both the private and public sectors were present at the lecture. Delegates from China and ASEAN, who were in Singapore for the 14th China-ASEAN Prosecutors-General Conference, as well as foreign diplomatic envoys in Singapore, were also in attendance.
