International Rule of Law through the Lens of Chinese Traditional Culture

Rule of law is recognized as an effective means of government. The international community, led by the United Nations, has been advocating the adoption of rule of law at international and national levels against the backdrop of globalization. This article examines the contributions that Chinese traditional culture may make to the creation of international rule of law. For this purpose, it will first analyse the sources and status of rule of law at the national level and the similarities and differences between international and national rule of law, the conditionality for creating international rule of law, and the development thereof. It argues that rule of law is a shared value of mankind, which is evidenced in the teachings of Chinese traditional culture; yet, due to their differences in nature, international rule of law that is applied in the international community differs from national rule of law that is enforced in national communities. This article examines the development of international rule of law and argues that it can serve as the basis for furthering international collaboration and for realizing human dignity and world peace stipulated in the Charter of the United Nations.