Top court outlines reform plan

China's top court, the Supreme People's Court, announced details on Wednesday about its plan for judicial reform over the next five years.

The plan is divided into eight sections, covering 45 specific items. The way in which judges are treated will be different from civil servants, and a special committee for judge selection at provincial level will be built up.

The judge quota will be limited to ensure they are promoted in accordance with their trial capability. Meanwhile, Chinese courts are required to hear some cases, such as ones involving the environment and resources, without regard to the administrative regions where the disputes occurred, according to the plan.

Circuit courts will be established in places where there are abundant and complex cases, the plan said, adding that intellectual property tribunals will be set up in areas where related disputes occur.

The plan asks judges to shoulder responsibility for what they hear and what they write in judicial documents, which means their judgments will not be handed in chief judges or even the president of a court.

In addition, the rights of lawyers must be also protected, while judges should echo lawyers' questions and doubts in their verdicts, according to the plan.