According to a survey released by Xinhua, half of the presidents of the provincial supreme people’s courts lack training in the law. Many of them are leaders of local governments, the Party or the People’s Congress. This happens because the Communist Party controls the entire judicial system. Appointing Party officials to the position of president of the provincial supreme courts is a demonstration of the party’s leadership over the administration of justice. Wang Shengjun, President of the National Supreme Court, is also the Party secretary of the National Supreme Court. In that capacity, he doubles as the Chief Justice. Wang recently stated in his article in the Party’s Qiu Shi journal that Chinese courts must uphold the supremacy of the cause of the Party, the people’s interests and the Constitution.
Source: Voice of America, July 21, 2009
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/2009-07-21-voa42.cfm