Plenum likely to limit local officials' clout in court cases

China is set to unveil key legal reforms this week that will try to limit the influence local officials have on court cases, a move being closely watched by the business community.

The announcement is expected at the end of a meeting of Communist Party of China leaders, to be held from Monday to Thursday, with the theme "rule of law".

The meeting, called a plenum, comes at a time when slowing economic growth in the world's second-largest economy is raising the prospect of more commercial disputes.