Legal experts advise on judicial administration reform

Zhang Jun, minister of justice

Zhang Jun, minister of justice and Xiong  Xuanguo, vice-minister of justice sought the advice of legal experts on judicial  administration in the Ministry of Justice on August 11.

The eleven scholars and experts, consultants  of public security, and members of procuratorial organs and people's courts who were present at the meeting have all witnessed China's judicial system reform  and many of them have participated in central and local research demonstrations. 

Xiong Xuanguo, vice-minister of justice

Zhang expressed his hope that the scholars would not hesitate to speak out freely in offering their advice.

Law professor Fan Chongyi called for the  establishment of a judicial administrative theory seminar and advised the  Ministry of Justice to set up an expert consultation committee.

In addition to Fan, the seminar also  featured other experts who specialize in criminal procedure law. They also  expressed their opinions in detail. One of them, Chen Ruihao, said that the  speed of judicial administration reform is relatively slow which gave rise to  some discussion among the participants.

The only representative of criminal  jurisprudence, Zhao Bingzhi said his team has studied the Opinions of the  Ministry of Justice on Furthering Deepening Judicial Reform (Discussion Paper)  and that the paper indicates the direction of top-level thinking about judicial  administration work.

Zhao said that it also lists how every task  can be carried out and sets out specific aspects of the reform at the  micro-level, responding to common social concerns and questions relevant to  social development.

Han Dayuan, a constitutional scholar,  referred frequently to the Opinions paper. He said it provides not only specific  job objectives but also concrete supporting measures. What pleased him most is  that the Opinions stipulate that legal education is to be included in the  national educational system.

Ma Huaide, another legal expert, resonated  with Han, advising use of social evaluation and a sense of power levels in  society to promote awareness of the law.

Zhang Jun concluded the symposium by saying  that the experts and scholars had successfully presented a course on the theory  of socialist rule of law.

Zhang said that they should work to promote  theoretical innovation based on practice, adding that some theories could be  borrowed from abroad instead of being used directly because of uniqueness of  China’s judicial administration reform.

Fan Chongyi, legal expert

Zhao Bingzhi, legal expert