Noting the hierarchical structure of the Chinese judiciary and the influence of the National People’s Congress upon local court decisions, recommendations for reforming the Chinese judicial system are offered. An overview of the management of local Chinese courts is presented, illuminating the various forces that affect local court appointments and decisions; for instance, it is asserted that a higher court’s decision to overturn a lower court’s ruling could prompt calls for the dismissal of the lower court judge, thus prompting lower court judges to reach rulings that correspond with higher court opinions. Consequently, three general recommendations for reforming the Chinese judiciary are offered. These include reconfiguring relations within the judicial system, so that higher courts are not provided with a higher standard than lower courts, and encouraging lower courts to maintain their autonomy from higher courts.
