China moves to strengthen voluntary legal services for veterans

BEIJING -- China's Ministry of Veterans Affairs and the Ministry of Justice have jointly issued a set of guidelines on improving voluntary legal services for veterans.

The guidelines aim to weave a network of services that covers both urban and rural areas, and safeguard veterans' legitimate rights and interests through the rule of law, according to an official statement on Monday.

Professional volunteer teams, comprising lawyers, notaries and other personnel with legal backgrounds or similar work experience, will be established on the basis of veteran service centers or stations, said the guidelines.

The guidelines outlined the major tasks of the volunteers, including legal consultation, resolving of disputes, carrying out rule of law publicity, and assisting in judicial aid.

The document also called for efforts to help all eligible veterans apply for national judicial aid, offer online legal services, and guarantee that those in remote and rural areas have access to voluntary legal services.