Legal action taken after Zhuhai tragedy

China's top legal authorities strengthened measures to resolve conflicts and safeguard social stability this week to address rising concerns over public safety, particularly after a tragic car-ramming incident in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, on Nov 11.

That day, a driver allegedly angry about his divorce settlement rammed his SUV into crowds of people exercising outside a sports stadium in Zhuhai, killing 35 and injuring dozens of others. The incident prompted authorities nationwide to reflect on how to prevent similar tragedies from happening again.

On Saturday, the Supreme People's Court asked courts nationwide to strengthen their fight against crimes that seriously endanger public order, disrupt social stability and harm people's lives, health and property, and ensure that justice is upheld by efficient case handling.

The requirement was reiterated in a statement released by the court on Saturday after a meeting on maintaining social stability.

People who commit major and vicious crimes must be severely punished in accordance with the law, with relevant trials conducted and rulings issued in a timely manner, to ensure people can truly feel justice has been carried out and gradually improve their sense of fulfillment, happiness and security, the statement said.

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

It urged every court to better categorize and combat crimes, and strengthen endeavors to rehabilitate criminals.

It is also essential that authorities prevent and control certain crimes that occur frequently over a period of time, it added.

The top court called for improving the quality of criminal case handling, urging chief judges of courts at all levels to take the lead in ensuring that each case is solved in a fair, efficient and high-quality manner.

In a meeting on Friday, the Ministry of Justice also reiterated its commitment to enhancing conflict resolution and maintaining social stability.

The ministry's latest initiative calls for judicial and administrative bodies at all levels to raise their political awareness and urgency in addressing public safety issues.

In particular, the ministry outlined measures to improve risk management, prevent potential conflicts from escalating and ensure that social stability is maintained.

"We must deeply understand the importance and urgency of social safety and risk control and take decisive action to safeguard the public," said the statement issued following the meeting.

The ministry's plan also calls for a more robust approach to monitoring and improving conditions in detention facilities, enhancing rehabilitation programs and offering support to individuals released from prison. It stressed the need for effective community-based dispute mediation, particularly in high-conflict areas such as family disputes, property issues and unpaid debts.

The Supreme People's Procuratorate also urged procuratorate organs to rigorously review vicious criminal offenses for arrest and prosecution to ensure public safety.

Protecting people's lives and social security should be prioritized, said a statement released by the SPP earlier this week after a meeting on better maintaining social stability.

The tragic incident in Zhuhai should serve as a significant motivation for procuratorate organs to lawfully punish and prevent extreme violent crimes, Ying Yong, prosecutor-general of the SPP, said last week during an inspection trip in Shanghai.

The SPP also said in the statement on Tuesday that procuratorate organs will maintain a "zero-tolerance" stance on crimes against students by working with relevant departments to eliminate public safety risks near schools.

It added that procuratorate organs should thoroughly investigate risks and hidden dangers and ensure the fair and lawful handling of cases. They must promote the rule of law in petition work and resolve conflicts involving prosecution cases at an early stage to prevent the spread of risks.

Cao Yin and Cui Jia contributed to this story.