Highlights of report of China's chief justice

BEIJING - China's chief justice Wang Shengjun, president of the Supreme People's Court (SPC), delivered a report on the work of the SPC on Sunday to the Fifth Session of the 11th National People's Congress.

Following are highlights of Wang's report to the annual parliamentary session:

Work in 2011

-- The SPC heard 11,867 cases of various types, down 1.8 percent year on year, and concluded 10,515 cases. Local courts at various levels heard more than 12.2 million cases of various types, up 4.4 percent year on year, and concluded 11.48 million cases.

-- Chinese courts concluded 840,000 criminal cases in first trials, up 7.7 percent over 2010, while convicting 1.05 million people and delivering sentences, up 4.4 percent.

-- Chinese courts concluded 69,000 cases of severe crimes, including homicide, kidnapping, robbery, planting bombs, organized crime and human trafficking. A total of 105,000 criminals involved in these cases were convicted and punished.

-- Chinese courts convicted 320 people in 278 cases related to producing and distributing toxic and harmful food and additives.

-- Chinese courts convicted and punished 29,000 criminals in 27,000 cases of embezzlement, bribery and malfeasance.

-- A total of 66,000 lawsuits involving violation of intellectual property rights were concluded in first trials, up 37.7 percent over 2010.

-- Chinese courts closed 136,000 administrative cases in first trials, an increase of 5.1 percent over 2010. And 48 percent of them were settled out of court and charges were dropped in first trials.

-- Chinese courts concluded 22,000 cases concerning foreign businesses and maritime affairs.

-- More than 90 percent of Chinese courts set up the department to take in people's complaint letters or visits concerning filing charges. More than 790,000 letters and visits were received, 25.9 percent fewer than 2010.

-- A total of 77 judges and court staff were prosecuted for embezzlement, bribery, practising favoritism and perverting the law, 30.6 percent down from 2010.

Work in 2012

-- The SPC will work to create a favorable legal environment to safeguard economic and social development.

-- The SPC will deepen judicial reform.

-- The SPC will improve the competence of judges and curb corruption.

-- The SPC will better accept and respond to supervision from lawmakers, political advisors and the public.