When Xi Jinping stood at the podium, placed his left hand on the newly amended Constitution, raised his right hand in a fist of solidarity and took the public oath of allegiance to the Consti-tution in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 17, it not only signaled the beginning of his second term as the Chinese president, but also sent a strong message that the new term of gov-ment will further strengthen the rule of law.