China ensures fair trials for criminal suspects: White paper

BEIJING -- China strives to ensure that those accused of criminal offences receive a fair trial, according to a white paper released Thursday.

The white paper on the practice of the Communist Party of China in respecting and protecting human rights was released by the State Council Information Office.

China has promoted reform of the criminal litigation system centered on the court trial, the white paper said.

It has fully guaranteed the rights of criminal suspects and defendants to defense and to legal aid, the document noted.

The country protects defense lawyers' right to meet their clients, to examine the case files, to investigate and obtain evidence, to conduct cross-examination, to debate and defend, and other rights related to court hearings, it added.