BEIJING, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislature on Monday began deliberating a draft amendment to the Criminal Procedure Law aimed at better punishing crimes while further protecting the rights of participants in criminal proceedings.
The 55-article draft amendment was submitted for its first reading at a bimonthly session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), which runs from Monday through Friday.
The draft stipulates strengthened presumption-of-innocence protections, refined rules on the use of detention and other compulsory measures against criminal suspects and defendants, and provisions regarding foreign-related criminal proceedings.
It also includes stronger protections for victims and lawyers involved, as well as juvenile participants in relevant proceedings -- as victims, suspects, defendants or witnesses.
Moreover, the draft covers the sealing up, seizure, freezing, and handling of property involved in criminal cases.
The draft stresses a criminal procedure system with a focus on court proceedings to ensure that court hearings are fully functional and play a substantive role in criminal justice, so that courts, procuratorates and police agencies divide responsibilities, cooperate, and act as a mutual check on one another.
China's current Criminal Procedure Law was adopted in 1979 and amended in 1996, 2012 and 2018.
A report to the NPC Standing Committee session on the draft said further changes are needed because serious violent crimes and the share of offenders receiving heavy sentences have declined for years in China, while minor crimes are rising. Also, some offenses have moved online and become international, requiring stronger cross-border judicial cooperation.
Amendments to the Criminal Procedure Law aim to further regulate the exercise of judicial power through a comprehensive and efficient institutional framework, enhance judicial credibility and strengthen the public's perception of the rule of law, the report said.
China is believed to be one of the safest countries in the world, among the nations with the lowest rates of crime and homicide.
According to China's police authority, criminal cases nationwide fell by 12.8 percent in 2025, reaching the lowest level this century. Meanwhile, Gallup's 2025 Global Safety Report ranked China as the third-safest place globally and fourth in the law and order index.
The findings also echo the international perception. More international travelers are experiencing that sense of security firsthand as visa-free access expands, travel services improve and urban support systems are strengthened.
Behind this safe environment lie China's long-term efforts to ensure public security through a well-established legal framework, community-based governance, modern technology and rapid police response. ■
