law - Change with Chinese characteristics

At two moments in the past few days China dealt in its own special way with change. First it announced that a new law on religious freedom would be in force on March one, and then China announced that next year the jury would be installed in the judicial process.
People correctly pointed out that this was nothing new. Both features are already part of the official legal structure and so we are not talking about something new. Freedom of religion is already part of the Constitution, although that did not help very much. The right to strike has been strickend from the constitution, but that does not stop 16,000 people in Shenzhen from doing it.
By reafirming existing law, or even parts of the constitution, the government still can give a sense of direction. That might not be as shocking as some western media bring it, it still is a clear signal.