In order to prevent China from straying from its path of pursuing the rule of law, high-profile intellectuals and scholars called for a thorough reflection on the failed "Chongqing Model," which was characterized by a gangster-style anti-crime campaign and revival of the Cultural Revolution's ideology.

Prominent figures such as Hu Deping, son of Hu Yaobang, late general secretary of the Communist Party of China and Li Zhuang, a former lawyer who claims to have been purged and framed by the Chongqing police during the municipality's crackdown on crime, were among the 30 scholars and intellectuals attending a special roundtable held by the Beijing-based news magazine Caixin.

The Chongqing administration has trodden on the rule of law under the misrule of Bo Xilai, the former Party chief of Chongqing, and his "Chong

qing Model." And similar situations exist in other parts of China to different degrees. Reflecting on the "Chongqing Model" will prevent Chongqing's mistakes from reoccurring, the participants were quoted as saying by a website featuring history archives relating to Hu Yaobang, which jointly held the discussion with Caixin.

Experts and scholars in the fields of law, history, political science and even journalism studied the unjust and false cases handled by the Chongqing police during its campaign and searched for the social bases and causes of Chongqing's management methods, according to the website.

"One of the greatest achievements of the reform and opening-up of the past 30 years is to make the rule of law a basic principle of the Party and the government. But in the past few years, the rule of law in China has suffered severe setbacks. Chongqing is only one example," Zhan Jiang, a professor of journalism at Beijing Foreign Studies University, who also attended the meeting, told the Global Times on Monday, noting that the necessity for a reflection of the past is self-evident.

During the discussion, Li Zhuang also described how he was framed by the Chongqing police while defending a local gangster and, quoting police informants, exposed the cruel conduct of Wang Lijun, Bo's former police chief who sought refuge at the US consulate in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, to escape retaliation from Bo after the two fell out.

Bo was expelled from the Party in late September and may face further charges.

The "Chongqing Model" also effectively came to an end.

"The outcome of Li's case will indicate if China will get back onto the track of the rule of law," Zhan said during a telephone interview.

"The leadership is willing to see the current progress, and is using isolated cases to push forward China's progress in the legal system," Zhan said.

The Chongqing model was "reform and opening-up policy" under the "dictatorship of the proletariat," according to Hu Deping, "However, under these fine words are many injustices."

The trend after the 18th Party congress is encouraging, and people should continue their efforts in limiting the government's power, Hu was quoted as saying.