The rule of law is a notion that cuts across cultures and borders. Although the understanding of the rule of law may not be the same in every society, the goal of promoting a rules-based legal order is just as strong in China as it is in the West. For students like me, it is exciting to see China progressing toward a prosperous society while promoting the rule of law.

I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent in China over the past five years. I began learning Mandarin at my small public high school in rural Minnesota at the age of 15. As an undergraduate student at Harvard, I was lucky enough to get the chance to visit China twice as an overseas student, first to Beijing and then to Shanghai. During my stay in the two cities, I explored many parts of the country, including the Xinjiang Uygur and Inner Mongolia autonomous regions.

Some of the reform measures I found especially striking include the campaign to eliminate corruption in courts from the local level to the provincial level.

China has emerged as a leader in establishing specialized courts, including those dedicated to resolving internet-related intellectual property rights disputes. The country has also implemented a judge quota and judicial accountability system, in order to ensure that judges are responsible for the cases they hear.

China has learned from some of the legal measures Western countries have implemented on specific issues and adapted them to its unique national context. It is committed to championing the rule of law and making citizens confident of the effectiveness of the judicial apparatus as a means of settling disputes.

We were able to organize some dialogues between our students and Renmin University of China's law students on topics such as automated driving, and were highly impressed by the Chinese students' understanding of law.

We hope more such dialogues can be held between Chinese and foreign law students and legal professionals.