Over the past 40 years of reform and opening up, the Party and the State have gained a richer and deeper understanding of human rights. In 1997, the 15th Commu-nist Party of China National Congress Report put forward "respect for human rights". In 2004, the idea that "the State respects and protects human rights" was written into the Constitution, which means that "respect and human rights" have become a basic constitutional principle. In 2012, the 18th CPC National Congress Report put forward the new requirement that "human rights must be eaestly respected and protected". In 2014, The Decision of the CPC Central Committee on Major Issues Pertaining to Comprehensively Promoting the Rule of Law proposed to "enhance the awareness of the entire society to respect and protect human rights" and to "promote public awareness of rule of law". The Decision outlined a gradual process for the Party and the State to enhance human rights, which includes a general understanding of human rights, the implementation of human rights, and the application of the rule of law to respect and protect human rights.