Use of death penalty set to be reduced

The top legislature will try to reduce the number of crimes subject to the death penalty by revising the Criminal Law this year, an official said on Sunday.

The last time China reduced the number of charges carrying the death penalty was in 2011, when the legislature cut 13 charges that did not involve violence.

Though the death penalty is still being used, courts are required to apply it strictly and carefully, Zang Tiewei, deputy director of the criminal department of the Legislative Affairs Commission under the National People's Congress Standing Committee, said during a news conference at the two sessions.