The China Law Society celebrated its 50th founding anniversary in Beijing today at the Great Hall of the People on November 30.

Chinese Party and government leaders Jiang Zemin, Li Peng, Zhu Rongji, and Li Ruihuan sent letters of congratulations to the society.

Addressing the gathering, Wei Jianxing, one of the seven top policy makers in China, said that over the past 50 years the China Law Society has made a series of achievements in building a socialist democratic legal system, and has provided powerful theoretical support for the formation of a set of principles for ruling the country by law.

There is no set example that China must follow, but rather, the country will find its own road in accordance with its national condition and socialist system. It should not blindly copy the model of Western countries, Wei said.

"We should highly value the establishment and development of a legal system with Chinese characteristics. The experience of China shows that only under the guidance of a legal theory with Chinese characteristics can the country march forward along a correct path, " he said.

He urged the Party to lend great importance to the study of social sciences, the same as it does for the natural sciences.

Party committees and governments at all levels also should enhance guidance and create a better environment for legal research, he concluded.