BEIJING, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislature on Saturday approved the piloting of plea bargaining in criminal cases, as part of efforts to find balance in criminal justice decisions.
At the close meeting of the top-level bi-monthly legislative session of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, lawmakers voted to adopt the proposals that will allow suspects and defendants to plead guilty in return for a lesser charge.
The measures will be piloted in 18 cities, including Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Chongqing, Shenzhen, Xiamen and Guangzhou, according to proposals submitted by the Supreme People's Court (SPC) and Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) to the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee.
According to a statement from the NPC Law Committee, the pilot aims to "further improve criminal procedures, implement a policy combining punishment with leniency and more reasonably allocate judicial resources."
"Suspects and defendants who are willing to confess, agree with prosecutors' crimes and sentencing proposals, and sign affidavits, will be given mitigated punishments," said the statement.
The measures will take effect on Sept. 4.
