Ren Jianxin

Ren Jianxin (born August 1925) is a high-ranking Chinese official, judge, and politician. He most notably served as President of the Supreme People's Court from 1988 to 1998, after having held the position of Vice President since 1983, and as Secretary of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission from 1992 to 1998, overseeing all police, intelligence, and judicial agencies on behalf of the Communist Party.

Early life and career
Ren Jianxin was born in Xiangfen County, Shanxi, in 1925. He studied chemical engineering at Peking University, graduating in 1948. During his studies, he was an underground communist activist, and officially joined the Party in June 1948. After the Communist victory in the Chinese Civil War and the subsequent establishment of the People's Republic of China, Ren was recruited to work in the "political-legal front", which included supervision of police, security and intelligence organizations, as well as the judicial and legislative systems, on behalf of the party.

He thus served, from 1949 to 1959, as an administrative employee in the Legislative Bureau of the Central People's Government, the Political and Legal Commission of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the State Council Bureau of Legislative Affairs, as well as the State Council's General Office.

China Council for the Promotion of International Trade
In 1959 Ren Jianxin left the political-legal apparatus and was named Secretary-General of the Foreign Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission, where he stayed until 1966. That year, the Cultural Revolution broke out, and he was persecuted and imprisoned.

Restored to his position in 1971, from that year to 1981 he was the Director of Legal Affairs in the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, and, importantly, Secretary-General in its Maritime Arbitration Commission. This position became very important with the start of the Chinese economic reform, and Ren dealt with globally important maritime players, such as Greek ship-owners.

Supreme People's Court and CPLC
In 1983, Ren entered the Supreme People's Court of China as Executive Vice President for 5 years until 1988, and then President for the next 10 years from 1988 to 1998. It was during this time that he also advanced in the Communist Party of China, serving as a full member of the 13th and 14th Central Committees (1987–1997) and was chosen to become a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee (1983–1992) and later also the Secretary of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission, from 1992 to 1998.

In 1995, he signed the Beijing Statement of Principles of the Independence of the Judiciary.

Finally, from 1998 to 2003 he was a Vice Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Honors and awards

 * 1997—present President of the National Judges College
 * 1997—2003 President of China Law Society