BEIJING, May 8 -- Five people who have outperformed other contestants in an open judicial selection to China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) took their new posts at the top court on Thursday.

The five SPC newcomers are Guo Feng, former law professor, Jia Qinglin, former lawyer, Han Deqiang, legal researcher, and Du Guoqiang and Xu Yongjun, former local prosecutors.

The new positions they have been appointed to included senior judges at the SPC tribunals as well as senior researchers at offices under the SPC.

The SPC will adopt an open mind toward the law profession in its judicial selection to optimize its talent pool, said Shen Deyong, the SPC executive vice president.

According to Shen, the selection, with 195 candidates, took about five months.

The SPC senior judges are generally selected from lower level judges at the SPC or local courts.