Major decisions on the justice system and land reform will be introduced at the Fourth Plenary Session

Major decisions on the justice system and land reform will be introduced at the Fourth Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.

Boxun has learned from different sources that the Fourth Plenum of the 18th Central Committee will introduce policies that will shock the world and prove that 2014 is the beginning of Xi Jinping’s reform era.

According to reports, the most important policy developments will involve the independence of the judiciary and anti-corruption mechanisms, and reform of land policy. Namely, the National Bureau of Corruption Prevention will be under direct central leadership control, the judiciary will become independent from the government and rural land will enter market circulation.

The Fourth Plenum of the 18th Central Committee will put forward a new anti-corruption mechanism. It includes three key aspects: 1. Local courts will become independent of local government and local Communist Party politics and law committees. They will be under the direct leadership of Beijing’s Supreme People’s Court, which will decide on their fund allocation and personnel matters. 2. Supervision Bureau and Corruption Prevention Bureau will become administratively independent, and using the model of the US’s FBI, become an independent entity from top to bottom. They will not be led by local government or Party Committees. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection will directly administer the work of the Corruption Prevention Bureau. Branches of each province and municipality will be overseen by the general office. Fund allocation and personnel matters will be overseen by the general office. Officials of local Corruption Prevention Bureau will serve fixed terms of three years and be changed periodically. 3. The role of the National People’s Congress will be strengthened. Immunity of NPC representatives will be strengthened to make NPC representatives real representatives of the people so that they can represent the people in exercising oversight over officials, and pass legislation to allow them even greater impeachment power.

There are also three key points in continuing economic reform: 1. The debt scale of local governments shall be reduced. The debt issuing by local governments shall be limited. 2. Rural collectively-owned land shall enter market circulation so that rural residents can enjoy the utmost benefit brought by the value increase of collectively-owned land. 3. The tax division system will be readjusted. The five-level finance system of the Central Government, province, city, county and township will be adjusted to a three-level finance system of the Central Government, province and city or county. The autonomous powers of the local government must basically match its financial income. At a proper time, inheritance tax and property tax will be levied to supplement local income. The most important aspect of all is the land policy, which has been the biggest problem in China over the past decades. Marketization of land will enable farmers to buy and sell land at their own discretion and will to a certain extent guarantee and safeguard the interests of farmers.

The plenum will also address changes in the functions of local government. The gist is to reduce interference by the government. The duties and responsibilities of government at every level will be substantially adjusted. This includes the streamlining of government organizations and personnel, the reduction of direct administration in economic and social affairs, and overseeing the society and macro-economy by adopting major policies, improve the socialist market economy and let the market play an even greater role. In the next nine years, local governments must reduce their workforce by 20 percent, and reduce the government’s role in economic and social affairs. The performance of local government officials will be disconnected from GDP. Social organizations will be encouraged to participate in social affairs. The examination and approval of establishment of non-governmental organizations will be relaxed and will gradually transition to a registration system. Development of community, industry, trade and social service organizations should be encouraged. Local government’s interference in market should be reduced. The segmenting of local markets must be prohibited. Monopoly of local enterprise over local industry must be eliminated. Division of power of province and city shall be readjusted.

The central government will reclaim certain duties and powers. The reclaimable powers mentioned in the abstract include the administration of justice, social security, education, health care (including national health insurance), the environment, food safety and other aspects.

Boxun has learned that the restructuring of personnel matters in the army will be announced after the fourth plenum. It won’t be a principal subject of discussion for the plenary session.