beijing china communist party shun rule law prefer rely chairman mao zedong call rule man essentially use authority party leaders govern recent years though china economy modernize party increasingly turn law exert central authority bureaucracy keep citizens control accord legal experts diplomats president xi jinping trend accelerate say emblematic drive move enshrine law xi signature anti-graft campaign ensnare nearly 1.4 million party members past five years move announce last year finalise communist party congress open wednesday underestimate importance write things say jessica batke cover china u.s. state department write china leadership hoover institution legal reform part efforts communist party xi grant freedoms ordinary people draw red line create harsh punishments cross batke say human right group often criticize china pay lip service rule law say communist party systematically ignore due process prosecute activists dissidents court push communist party accessible fair hope law become effective tool resolve dispute stabilize society reform also help leadership enforce central control codify previously informal restrictions campaign like anti-corruption drive legal experts say xi try centralize power order exert power china unruly bureaucracy say carl minzer chinese law expert fordham law school new york xi legislature issue flurry new laws govern issue like internet control espionage even sing chinese national anthem new rule laws also use punish people oppose party accord maya wang hong kong-based researcher human right watch justice ministry take tough line lawyers take right case last year order law firm support party activities activists say raise risk take sensitive case lawyers month zhu shengwu become first lawyer strip license online post critical communist party new measure post mock anti-corruption campaign say party lawlessly administer justice xi jinping rule law reform political executive power legalize erode possibility resistance say fu hualing expert chinese law university hong kong xi anti-corruption campaign oversee new national supervision commission give legal authority law still draft new body take central commission discipline inspection ccdi merge multiple anti-graft units single body accord announcement ccdi last year also expand graft campaign purview include employees state-backed institutions ccdi justice ministry national people congress china legislature respond request comment extent commission power closely tie fate wang qishan oversee anti-graft campaign expect stay leadership role despite past customary retirement age 68 source tell reuters wang exact position likely make clear congress one scenario would see usher next phase graft fight head super-ministry wang say new commission grant detention power law raise concern among right activists practice like informal detention suspect question could validate right group consider practice illegal say suspect often torture detail commission expect announce next year annual meet national people congress accord diplomats legal experts china 's xi set codify legal clout anti-graft campaign congress