China has been steadily building a professional judiciary since legal reform started in 1979. The Judges Law 2000 and the unified State Judicial Examination introduced in 2002 have strengthened the basic requirements and legal knowledge of those seeking to become a judge. The Chinese government recognises the need to professionalise its courts and the judiciary further, and the Supreme People's Court has made this a priority in its second five year reform plan announced in October 2005. The Great Britain-China Centre works with the Supreme People's Court and local courts in order to strengthen the professionalism and independence of judges.
The Judicial Studies Training Programme is a unique collaboration between the UK and the Supreme People's Court to provide training for Chinese judges. The training aims to further the Chinese judges' understanding of advanced specialist areas of law and legal culture. Now in its fourteenth year, seventy-nine judges from thirty-four courts across China have benefited from the programme, creating a countrywide network of UK-trained judges. Many scheme alumni have been promoted since returning China. With the exception of the fourteenth year, the programme was funded by the UK Ministry of Justice and supported by bi-annual judicial seminars held in China.
Funding from the Ministry of Justice (UK) has now ended. GBCC worked with the British Embassy in Beijing and secured Chevening scholarships for three judges to attend SOAS to read for the LLM in the academic year 2011-12. The judges are specializing in environmental law and will follow a four week summer placement in solicitors’ firms, barristers’ chambers and courts at the end of their academics studies. GBCC is providing pastoral support during their time in London.
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Judges outside GBCC's offices in London
Improving Judicial Management in China
Between 2007 and 2008, the GBCC worked with the Higher People's Court of Hunan on a judicial management reform project. It was carried out in the context of the Supreme People's Court (SPC) 5-year plan to reform the court system in China. Our project aimed to improve the professionalisation of judges in China by drawing a clear difference between the role and status of judges, and the administrative and support staff in the court system. Using UK expertise, a pilot scheme, in Liuyang, Hunan Province, focused on adjustments to the management of both the courts and the system for the appointment of judges. Over one hundred judges including seven senior judges from the SPC were involved in this two year project and took part in various project activities and discussions.
The key output was the presentation to the Supreme People's Court of draft regulations - ‘Regulations on the Implementation of the Judges Assistance System’, which was based on the experience of the pilot court in Liuyang. This regulation has been well received by the SPC and has contributed to their court reform programme.
This project was funded by the UK Global Opportunities Fund.
Last updated 13 January 2012