Chinese courts handle 253,000 environmental cases in 2020

BEIJING, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Amid China's efforts to strengthen judicial protection for the ecological environment, courts across the country tried 253,000 cases concerning environment and resources in 2020, said a report released by the Supreme People's Court (SPC) Friday.

Yang Linping, vice president of the SPC, said that 2020 saw the conclusion of 38,000 criminal cases and 162,000 civil cases of this kind.

By the end of 2020, 1,993 judicial institutes specializing in handling such lawsuits, including tribunals, collegial panels, and circuit courts, were established across the country, said the report.

Courts dedicated to the protection of local biodiversity and ecosystems have also been set up in various localities across China, according to the SPC.