BEIJING — China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) on March 12 vowed to create a “safe and stable” social environment for a key Communist Party of China (CPC) congress set to convene in Beijing in the second half of this year.

”[We will] resolutely protect the nation’s political security, in particular the security of the state power and the political system,” according to a work report to be delivered by Chief Justice Zhou Qiang at a plenary meeting of the ongoing annual session of the National People’s Congress.

It promised to keep a firm hand on crimes undermining national security and on violent and terrorist crimes in accordance with the law.

Courts will also strike hard on severe criminal offenses such as murder and robbery, and hand out due sentences for those involved in telecom and internet fraud, in order to maintain social stability, the report said. It promised that the current anti-corruption momentum will not lose steam, and vowed to step up efforts in the administration of justice in major duty-related crime cases and in supporting pilot reforms in the national supervision system.

A separate report by the Supreme People’s Procuratorate also pledged to severely punish infiltrating, subversive and sabotage activities by hostile forces, violent and terrorist crimes, ethnic separatist activities and religious extremist activities, to ”safeguard security, protect stability and promote harmony.”

Crimes involving Mafia-like gangs, guns, explosives, drug making and trafficking, women and children trafficking, as well as crimes undermining national defense and military interests will also face harsh penalties, it added.