Zhang Jun, president of the Supreme People's Court and a deputy to the National People’s Congress (NPC), participates in deliberation of the work report of the NPC Standing Committee with deputies from Central China’s Henan province on March 8. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

Zhang Jun, president of the Supreme People's Court (SPC), emphasized the importance of upholding the principal position of the people and practicing whole-process people’s democracy in all aspects of adjudication work.

Zhang, who is a deputy to the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s top legislature, made the remarks during the deliberation of the work report of the NPC Standing Committee with the delegation of Central China’s Henan province on March 8.

Zhang said he fully endorsed the work report of the NPC Standing Committee, noting that it is a report that demonstrates the unity of the Party’s leadership, the people’s position as masters of the country, and law-based governance. 

Zhang said he was impressed by the vitality of whole-process people's democracy showcased in the report. 

The work of the people's congresses fully embodies the will of the people, safeguards the rights and interests of the people, and aligns closely with aspirations of the people. The achievements made by the people's congresses fully demonstrate the political advantages of the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the institutional strengths of the people’s congress system, he said.

"The people's courts will always uphold the principal position of the people and practice whole-process people's democracy in all aspects of adjudication work," Zhang noted. 

He said courts at all levels must firmly uphold the absolute leadership of the Party over judicial work, and actively accept supervision from the people's congresses and their deputies, and from the people. Courts should earnestly handle suggestions put forward by NPC deputies during the annual NPC sessions and while performing their duties in day-to-day work, invite NPC deputies to serve as supervisors, and continuously improve their work through supervision, Zhang said. 

Courts should consciously practice whole-process people's democracy, and actively solicit opinions and suggestions from various sectors of society, especially from deputies to the people's congresses, when formulating judicial policies and interpretations, he added.

He called for inviting deputies to the people's congresses to participate in inspections of courts, thematic research, and mediation, and to witness enforcement proceedings. Courts should proactively report work to deputies in order to turn institutional advantages into a powerful driving force for the high-quality development of adjudication work and make greater contributions to advancing the Peaceful China Initiative to a higher level and promoting the development of rule of law in China, he said.

Zhang Jun, president of the Supreme People's Court  and a deputy to the National People’s Congress (NPC), chats with an NPC deputy after the meeting. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

"As an NPC deputy, I will conscientiously implement the newly revised Law on Deputies to the National People's Congress and to the Local People's Congresses at Various Levels, and duly fulfill my duties," Zhang noted. 

He said that the law regulates and safeguards the lawful exercise of the rights, performance of duties, and roles of the deputies, playing a vital role in upholding, improving and running the system of the people's congresses. 

He pointed out that the timely amendment of the law is significant for ensuring that deputies perform their duties in accordance with the law and better fulfill their roles, further improving whole-process people’s democracy, and giving full play to the strengths of the people’s congress system. 

He urged courts at all levels to fully and accurately understand the significance, basic principles, and specific content of the revised law, and support deputies in performing their duties in accordance with the law.