BEIJING -- China is considering the piloting of plea bargains in criminal cases, as part of the efforts to find balance in criminal justice decisions.

The bi-monthly legislative session that opened Monday considered proposals allowing 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 the proposal submitted by the Supreme People's Court and Supreme People's Procuratorate to the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee.

The pilot aims to "further improve criminal procedures, implement a policy that combines punishment with leniency, and more reasonably allocate judicial resources," according to a statement from the NPC Law Committee.