context: The growing focus on the importance of personal background reflects the Party's emphasis on more professionalism among legal workers. But this is likely to generate tension between the Party and legal professionals when the former imposes its will on judicial procedures. A notable example is procurators' wariness towards the all-powerful National Supervision Commission for its encroachment on their authority.
After a reshuffling of the procuratorate and court personnel, 90 percent of the top hands at the provincial level now have academic backgrounds in law, according to Legal Daily.
Among the 39 newly appointed procuratorate and court heads, 33 previously held the same posts in another province, states the paper. That accounts for 80 percent of the total, compared to 50 percent in 2016. Other members have also served long stints in politics and law departments, or in discipline and inspection commissions, says the paper.