(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-03-04 17:02

BEIJING - Chinese courts have been urged to "promote harmony to the uttermost" when handling lawsuits.

China's Supreme People's Court in a circular has asked the courts to set their main aim for 2008 of advancing the rule of law in the country, and to bear harmony in mind when dealing with lawsuits to play their role in building a harmonious society.

The courts were urged to attach the most importance to solving disputes concerning people's livelihood, so as to better protect an individual's personal and property rights.

China's courts handle 1.6 million civil dispute cases annually, according to official statistics.