Zhou Qiang, 54, launched a series of reforms after being appointed president of the Supreme People's Court in March last year, with judicial transparency and correction of wrongful judgments the focus of his work.

He piloted a program to use new media to promote court transparency.

Zhou said in October that each court should pay attention to public opinion and release trial information through newspapers, television and social media, such as micro blogs, to improve judicial credibility.

Wang Zhenmin, dean of the law school at Tsinghua University, said, "He likes to try new things, and his legal background makes professional communications much easier," adding that he is impressed by Zhou's way of thinking.

Wang took foreign law professors, including several from Harvard University, to call on Zhou last year and was given a warm welcome.

"Zhou showed his willingness to learn, and his English is pretty good," he said.

Zhou, a law major postgraduate from Southwest University of Political Science and Law, began his career at the Ministry of Justice in August 1976.

Cao Yin