Institutions asked to have legal advisers

In an unprecedented move, President Xi Jinping has asked all institutions in China to hire professional legal representatives and advisers.

It should become an encompassing system for all political parties, government departments, citizens' organizations - such as trade unions and women's federations - and State-owned institutions, to have public-sector lawyers or corporate legal counsels, Xi said on Tuesday at a meeting of the Central Leading Group for Deepening Overall Reform.

The group is the top decision-making body for China's reform and transition. The statement issued after the meeting did not specify how the change is to proceed, nor did it appoint representatives to any central government institutions.