Regarding the "Rule of Law" language, it seems to me that the CCP may be trying to lay the foundation for doing some new things that might draw outside criticism, so that in defense they can claim they are just following the "rule of law" and to voice any objection to same is giving illicit aid and comfort to lawbreakers. I note that the expulsion of the pro-democracy legislative council members in Hong Kong was done, "...in accordance with the law." Beijing's law, that is, which, apparently, trumps both Hong Kong's Basic Law and the Sino-British Joint Declaration.