Zhou Qiang, president of the Supreme People's Court (SPC), stressed the need to maintain functional trial procedures so as to provide strong judicial services and support for epidemic prevention and control on Feb 6.

Zhou made the statement when presiding over a meeting of the SPC's leading Party members’ group.

Zhou stressed the people's lives and health as the top priority, saying that the epidemic prevention and control should be taken as the most pressing issue.

He called for greatly strengthening trial and enforcement work and improving law-based prevention and control of the novel coronavirus pneumonia in accordance with the applicable guidelines passed by the Commission for Overall Law-based Governance of the CPC Central Committee.

He required accurate law-based and severe punishment for such illegal or criminal behaviors as resisting epidemic prevention and control measures, price gouging, rumor mongering, dereliction of duty in preventing and controlling the epidemic and destroying wild animal resources.

He requested strengthening of case-based law-related publicity activities in order to deter criminals and guide the public in observing the law.

Zhou also call for diligently implementing the arrangements made at the third meeting of the Commission for Overall Law-based Governance of the CPC Central Committee, deepening judicial reform and promoting the building of rule of law in China.