They might represent an attempt by Xi Jinping to clean up the party, whose legitimacy has been tarnished by accusations of corruption and abuse of power. However, party rules and national laws might diverge.

Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) - For the first time since its founding in Shanghai in 1921, the Communist Party of China (CPC) is planning changes to its internal rules to reorganise internal management and supervision. Several analysts view this as an attempt to save the CPC from a profound legitimation crisis.

Published three days ago, the new guidelines indicate the procedures to follow to formulate party rules: which party bodies are authorised to draft, approve, publish, amend or abolish party regulations.

According to some analysts, the proposal shows party chief Xi Jinping's intention to introduce the rule of law into party management. Since he became CPC leader, Xi has driven home the idea that party members, often tarnished by charges of corruption and abuse of power, must respect the party's rules and the country's constitution.

Far too often though, his statements have not been met by action. Human rights lawyers and activists who tried to use the law against party members have found themselves penalised or have had their cases thrown out of court. What is more, at the last session of the National People's Congress, the subordination of the justice system to the party was reiterated.

The new guidelines state that intra-party regulations and rules should not conflict with the country's constitution and national laws, but some analysts note a contradiction: Why does the Party need special rules that are different from those for the entire population?

Yet, for Prof Gu Su, a constitutional law expert at Nanjing University, the new guidelines are "a significant step by the new leadership to introduce the rule of law into the management of party members amid a legitimacy crisis due to widespread abuse of power and corruption".

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