BEIJING -- China's top court pledged to give full play to the functions of courts, supporting China's southern city of Shenzhen in building a pilot demonstration area of socialism with Chinese characteristics, says a guideline on Monday.

With 33 articles in six parts, the guideline, issued by the Supreme People's Court, clarifies the overall direction and measures for people's courts to support and safeguard the building of the pilot demonstration area.

The guideline supports the reform of the land management system, calling for properly handling disputes regarding the use of land and promoting the justified transfer of land resources in Shenzhen.

Harmonious labor relations should be ensured in the area, it stresses, adding that judicial policies and adjudication rules on working hours and salary should be improved.

Efforts should be made to improve the judicial working mechanism to combat illegal fund-raising, insider trading and other financial crimes, it says.

The guideline underscores judicial efforts in fostering a sound business environment in Shenzhen to protect the lawful rights and interests of entrepreneurs as well as intellectual property.

The guideline also puts forward a batch of reform measures for improving the litigation system, judicial accountability system, the specialization of adjudication and classified management of judicial personnel.