China's top court calls for tougher measures to tackle major crimes and enhance public safety

China's top court has asked courts nationwide to strengthen the fight against crimes that seriously endanger public order, disrupt social stability and harm people's life, health and property safety, so that the justice can be upheld by efficiently case handling.

The requirement was reiterated in a statement released by the Supreme People's Court on Saturday after a meeting on maintaining social stability, following a few security cases arousing the public's widespread attention and concern, including a car ramming case in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, that killed 35 people and injured 43 on Nov 11.

Major and vicious crimes must be severely punished in accordance with the law, with relevant trials and rulings made in a timely manner, so as to ensure people can truly feel the justice and gradually improve their sense of fulfillment, happiness and security, according to the statement.

For crimes aggravated by civil disputes and minor offenses committed in the course of daily life or business operation, defendants can be leniently penalized if they plead guilty and are forgiven by victims, it said.

It urged every court to intensify efforts to categorize crimes and combat the crimes, with endeavor to rehabilitate criminals.

For cases that frequently occur in some certain field over a period time, it is essential to strengthen the prevention and control of them from the root or at the source, it added.

The top court required improving the quality of criminal case handling, calling on presidents and chief judges of courts at all levels to play their leading roles in the handling to ensure that every case can be solved in a fair, efficient and high-quality manner.