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The number of jurors will be increased by almost 15,000 this year to enhance public participation in trials and legal rulings, the Supreme People's Court (SPC) said yesterday.

The country has 55,681 jurors but aims to boost that figure to 70,000 by October.

In 2004, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), the top legislative body, ordered courts to form judicial committees made up of judges and jurors to hear criminal, civil and administrative cases.

Jurors are nominated by governments, are appointed by people's congresses at various levels and serve five-year terms, during which they comment on evidence during trials and advise judges.

"The SPC will reform the selection, training and appraisal system of jurors, improving their role in bridging the public and legal practitioners," SPC spokesman Sun Jungong said yesterday.

Courts at intermediate and district levels will also hold at least two meetings every year to hear jurors' opinions, the SPC said in a guideline.

Zhao Weizhong has been a juror in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province, for four years and has been involved in around 400 trials.

He told China Daily: "Jurors have played an important role by making suggestions from an ordinary people's angle during the trials, especially during the judicial mediation with civil cases."

Ren Jin, a professor at the National School of Administration, said recruiting more jurors would reduce the pressure on judges in high-profile cases and secure fairer verdicts. But he called for terms to be shorter "so more people could become jurors".

Meanwhile, the SPC has said leading officials in China's 3,500-plus courts should chat with netizens at least once a year. Sun added: "Officials should extensively hear Internet users' opinions. We should let the public know how much we appreciate their opinions."

Chinese courts are facing increasing pressure to ensure fair and efficient trials and fight corruption, Sun said, adding that the financial crisis also posed new challenges to them.

Questions:

1. Why will the number of of jurors be increased by almost 15,000 this year ?

2. How long is the term that jurors normally serve?

3. According to a professor at the National School of Administration, recruiting more jurors would have what effect?

Answers:

1. To enhance public participation in trials and legal rulings.

2. 5 years.

3. It would reduce the pressure on judges in high-profile cases and secure fairer verdicts.

（英语点津 Helen 编辑）

Brendan joined The China Daily in 2007 as a language polisher in the Language Tips Department, where he writes a regular column for Chinese English Language learners, reads audio news for listeners and anchors the weekly video news in addition to assisting with on location stories. Elsewhere he writes Op’Ed pieces with a China focus that feature in the Daily’s Website opinion section.

He received his B.A. and Post Grad Dip from Curtin University in 1997 and his Masters in Community Development and Management from Charles Darwin University in 2003. He has taught in Japan, England, Australia and most recently China. His articles have featured in the Bangkok Post, The Taipei Times, The Asia News Network and in-flight magazines.