China needs "a better environment" for lawyers to conduct their work but also more regulation of their practices, senior legal affairs official Meng Jianzhu said at a national meeting on the subject on Thursday.
Meng, head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said lawyers' rights ordained by the law should be "rightfully fulfilled," citing the examples of reviewing case documents, contacting clients, collecting evidence, and questioning and defending during trials.
According to the legal chief, lawyers' opinions should be better respected during investigation, prosecution and hearing.
Meanwhile, Meng stressed that lawyers' practices directly influence the public image of the profession, people's belief in rule of law and confidence in social justice, urging them "to obey laws and regulations, stick to facts and exercise cautions in words and deeds."
"Judicial workers and lawyers are key components of our socialist legal team, undertaking the task of protecting people's lawful interests, ensuring correct implementation of the law and promoting justice," he said.
Meng urged political and legal affairs organs to help establish "a new relationship" between judicial staff and lawyers so that they can "respect, support, supervise, treat each other equally and maintain normal communications and positive interactions."
China has about 270,000 lawyers, a number increasing annually at 10 percent for seven consecutive years. The number of law firms has reached 22,000.
