Zhou Qiang, president of the Supreme People's Court, called for strong judicial support for epidemic control and economic and social development at a meeting of the top court's Party leadership on Feb 23.

For a start, the meeting pointed out that positive trends in epidemic prevention and control have been expanding as a result of the united efforts of the Party, military forces and people across the country.

It emphasized the importance of taking people’s safety and health as top priorities, and called on courts to play their functional role in providing strong judicial services and support for such matters as winning the battle against the COVID-19, fulfilling this year’s goals for economic and social development, building a moderately prosperous society in all aspects, eradicating poverty and achieving the 13thFive-Year Plan(2016-20)

It urged courts to carrying out trials and the enforcement work in a law-based, impartial and efficient manner, demanding severe punishments for such crimes as disturbing hospital or social order, harming medics with violence, price gouging and producing fake or inferior medicine or medical materials.

It called for maximizing the role of the one-stop dispute resolution and litigation service system in order to resolve epidemic-related disputes at their early stages.

Noting the economic impact of the epidemic, the meeting called for targeted judicial policies that help key industries and small and medium-sized enterprises solve their difficulties, resume their production and stabilize employment.

It cautioned against formalism and bureaucracy in the work of epidemic prevention and control, calling on Party members in the court system to take the initiative in conscientiously implementing all relevant measures.

The meeting also called for progress in judicial reform and the building of smart courts so as to meet people’s needs for judicial services.