Chinese lawmakers are considering removing
the death penalty as punishment for nine
crimes, including smuggling weapons and
nuclear materials.
The draft amendment to the Criminal Law was
submitted on Monday to the Standing
Committee of the National People's Congress
(NPC) for a first reading during the
legislature's bi-monthly session, which runs
from Monday to Saturday.
According to the draft amendment, the nine
crimes include smuggling weapons,
ammunition, nuclear materials or counterfeit
currency; counterfeiting currency; raising
funds by means of fraud; arranging for or
forcing another person to engage in
prostitution; obstructing a commander or a
person on duty from performing his duties;
and fabricating rumors to mislead others
during wartime.
After removing the death penalty for these
crimes, those convicted will face a maximum
sentence of life imprisonment, according to
the draft.
The draft amendment is another move by
China to limit the use of the death penalty
following a decision at a key meeting of the
Communist Party of China last year to
gradually reduce the number of crimes subject
to the death penalty, said Li Shishi, director of
the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC
Standing Committee.
The draft amendment also provides stricter
rules for the execution of convicts who have
been sentenced to death with reprieve.
Once the proposal is adopted, it will become
the second time for the People's Republic of
China to reduce the number of crimes
punishable by death since the Criminal Law
took effect in 1979.
The NPC Standing Committee dropped the
death penalty for 13 economic-related non-
violent crimes including smuggling cultural
relics, gold and silver; carrying out fraudulent
activities related to financial bills; forging or
selling forged exclusive value-added tax
invoices; teaching criminal methods; and
robbing ancient cultural ruins.
Exempting the 13 crimes from the death
penalty has not caused negative effects for
public security, and the social response to
reducing the number of crimes subject to the
death penalty has been positive, Li said.
Under the current Criminal Law, the number of
crimes punishable by death is 55.
China has kept the death penalty while strictly
controlling and prudently applying capital
punishment. The country has made various
efforts to limit use of the death penalty in
recent years.
On Jan. 1, 2007, the Supreme People's Court
resumed reviewing death penalty cases before
approval to make sure decisions by lower
courts are accurate.
http://www.china.org.cn/china/2014-10/27/content_33880183.htm

Wow! Its like you're more likely to get death sentence in China than prison term. But wat do you expect from a country with over 1billion people Unfortunately, unlucky Nigerians also fall victim of this strict rule of crime control

i know they will never include drug related crimes.