A white paper published on September 12 by the State Council Information Office hailed the new progress made in human rights protection in the field of justice as China enhances the rule of law in all respects.

The white paper, titled "New Progress in the Judicial Protection of Human Rights in China," said the judiciary is the last line of defense to safeguard social fairness and justice, and judicial protection of human rights is an important part of human rights progress in a country.

It said that in recent years, especially since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), progress has been made in modernizing the system and capacity of state governance. The country has effectively protected the people's rights and freedoms in an extensive array of fields in accordance with the law, while its people duly fulfill their obligations.

In particular, the white paper noted that since the CPC's 18th National Congress, the allocation of judicial powers and responsibilities have been further improved, and the independent and impartial exercise of the judicial and procuratorial power ensured.

Since 2014, pilot programs have been promoted nationwide to improve performance in the following areas: judicial accountability, category-based management of judicial personnel, job security for the judicial profession, and unified management of the personnel, finance and property of people's courts and procuratorates below the provincial level.

Meanwhile, the judicial accountability system has been improved, while judicial transparency promoted to ensure the right to know and the right to supervise for concerned parties and the public.

Progress was also made to ensure lawyers' right of practice, so that lawyers are playing a bigger role in safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of parties concerned.

The Regulations on Protecting Lawyers' Right of Practice in Accordance with the Law, issued in 2015, made clear various measures to protect lawyers' right of practice, made it more convenient for lawyers to participate in litigation, and improved the remedy and accountability mechanisms for ensuring lawyers' right to practice.

The white paper also highlighted pilot programs to reform the system of people's assessors and supervisors, the establishment of a national judicial assistance system, and the abolishment of the system of reeducation through labor.

It nonetheless said there is still much room for improvement for the rule of law in China.

Strengthening judicial protection of human rights will continue to be a major task in implementing the rule of law, it said, adding that the country will proceed from its prevailing reality, learn from the achievements of other countries regarding the rule of law, enhance judicial protection of human rights, safeguard social fairness and justice, and implement the rule of law in all respects.

(Xinhua News Agency September 12, 2016)