The announcement was made at the end of the annual Communist Party conference. Under the measures, a record will need to be kept of party officials being involved in legal matters; courts will be put beyond the jurisdiction of local officials; and judges will need to be chosen among legal professionals.

Critics

Xie Youping, a legal scholar at Fudan University in Shanghai, said: ‘It will make officials more cautious, and it is a measure to safeguard judicial independence.’ Some critics have questioned, however, the extent to which the reforms will make a difference. Source: ABA