BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhuanet) -- For years, local courts in China have been viewed as subordinate to the local government and judicial independence has been undermined by special interests and nepotism. But since the central government’s 2013 Roadmap for Reform listed judicial reform as a priority, hope for real change has seemed closer to reality.
As the head of the reform office in China’s highest court, He Xiaorong knows the threats to judicial independence, temptations from other people, including high-level officials and well-connected citizens.
"Special interests have been especially pronounced when it comes to environmental issues. If a factory is a heavy polluter, but is also a big tax payer, nobody wants to shut it down. But if the local courts have enough power, the government won’t be able to meddle in the case. For the public, it could mean a more fair verdict," He said.
And while a fairer system is the goal, He says judges are the key to achieving it.
"We need to give the power to the judges, to the court. Those who go through the process must be the ones to give the verdict. This is the bottom line. Only when you have heard what both sides have to say, can you give a judgment," He said.
To achieve that, the Reform Office is looking at re-focusing the court management system to separate the administration side from judicial side.
"So many people are working within the system, but their duties are not specified. You may have a judge who doesn’t judge, but instead handles management. We need to get the judges to solely focus on their own work. Then we can improve the quality of court proceedings," He said.
Reformers are also considering creating a career track, similar but separate to the traditional one in place for government officials.
It will allow judges to progress through the ranks based on their performance and skill -- and breed a judicial system based on fairness and the rule of law.
(Source:CNTV.com)
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