The US is is a rule-OF-law country, China is rule-BY-law. The difference is that in rule-OF-law, the government is subject to the law. In rule-BY-law, the law

The US is is a rule-OF-law country, China is rule-BY-law. The difference is that in rule-OF-law, the government is subject to the law. In rule-BY-law, the law is the tool the government uses to rule (dominate), that is, rule by means of law. It may sound nitpicky, but it’s a rather big difference.