# Ren Jianxin

Ren Jianxin (Chinese: 任建新; pinyin: Rén Jiànxīn; August 1925 – 21 September 2024) was a Chinese high-ranking 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 Chinese Communist Party's Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission from 1992 to 1998, overseeing all police, intelligence, and judicial agencies.

## Biography

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 Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in June 1948. Then, he served as Secretary of the Secretary's Office of the North China People's Government (Chinese: 华北人民政府), responsible for assisting Dong Biwu, Chairman of the North China People's Government. In 1949, he became the secretary of the General Office of the Central Political and Law Commission (Chinese: 中央政法委员会) and Secretary of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Central People's Government (Chinese: 中央人民政府法制委员会).
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 Chinese Communist Party, the State Council Bureau of Legislative Affairs, as well as the State Council's General Office. In 1959, he served as Section Chief and then Director of the Department of Legal Affairs of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. When the Cultural Revolution broke out in 1966, Ren was persecuted, imprisoned, then sent down to work in the May 7 Cadre School.
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 (CCPIT), and, importantly, Secretary-General in its Maritime Arbitration Commission. This position became significant with the start of the Chinese economic reform, and Ren dealt with globally key maritime players, such as Greek ship-owners. In November 1973, Ren Jianxin headed a Chinese Government delegation, including Lu Long, Wang Zhengfa, and Yang Bo, to Geneva as an observer for the Fourth Series of Meetings of the Governing Bodies of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). On 3 March 1980, China presented its applications to WIPO, which became effective for China on 3 June 1980.
In 1983, Ren entered the Supreme People's Court of China as Executive Vice President for five 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 CCP, serving as a full member of the CCP's 13th and 14th Central Committees (1987–1997) and was chosen to become a member of the Secretariat of the Chinese Communist Party (1983–1992) and later also the Secretary of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission, from 1992 to 1998. In 1982, 1984, and 1990, the three pillars of China's intellectual property laws—the Trademark Law, the Patent Law, and the Copyright Law—were enacted as a result of Ren's coordination and initiative.
Finally, from 1998 to 2003 he was a Vice Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
Ren Jianxin died on 21 September 2024, at the age of 99.

## Honors and awards

* 1997–1999 President of the National Judges College
* 1997–2003 President of China Law Society