Legal professionals have observed that with the resumption of SPC death sentence reviewing right, local courts have already become more cautious in issuing death orders.

Chinese justice community agrees that death sentence is necessary for the country at the present stage to serve as a powerful deterrent against crimes for the maintaining of social stability and national security, and in the meantime China should reduce the number of capital punishments till this penalty is finally abolished when conditions are ripe.

(Xinhua News Agency March 10, 2008)