Voices from two sessions

"I always pay attention to judicial reform, and I welcome the series of measures to reform the courts, public security bureaus and judicial authorities that have been put in place in the past year. The higher standards promoted by the reforms have put a lot of pressure on judges, but they've also improved things such as the quality of the written verdicts. It's necessary to provide court officials and others with better job security to lessen the pressures on them."

—— Deng Hui, a law lecturer at Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics and a deputy at the National People's Congress

"Judicial reform and the rule of law are things everybody should take an interest in. The life of a law lies in its enforcement, while the key to implementation is to promote the laws and make more people abide by them. Justice can only be served if laws are enforced."

—— Qin Xiyan, a lawyer and NPC deputy from Hunan province

"I visited the circuit court in Shenzhen, and saw well-conducted legal proceedings that even included the judges patiently explaining the function of the court. The judicial reforms should reduce conflicts between residents and help maintain social stability. It was good to see the better protection for litigants, especially for defendants, that came into force last year. I hope these changes will continue and similar ones will be made in the future."

—— Zhu Lieyu, a lawyer and NPC deputy from Guangdong province

"China has not provided enough job security for judges, including pay, which has led to a brain drain. Trying cases needs a professional team, so a judge's income should be different from a civil servant's. Judges should primarily be concerned about the quality of the proceedings, and not administrative issues."

—— Zhu Zhengxu, a judge and NPC deputy from Henan province