China has now freed more than 31,000 prisoners, most of them juveniles when they committed their crimes, after announcing an amnesty late last year.
The measure was adopted by China's top legislature and signed by President Xi Jinping on August 29, 2015, as part of national commemorations of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.
The amnesty -- coming 40 years after China's last mass pardon of prisoners, on that occasion war criminals -- embodies a humane spirit, and shows China as an open, democratic and civilized state. It has freed many war veterans as well as very old, young or infirm prisoners.
It is also a good example of the Communist Party of China (CPC) governing in accordance with the law -- the amnesty was realized after following rigid legal procedures, from a decision made by the CPC Central Committee according to the Constitution, to the legislation of the amnesty by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, to the final implementation by judicial organs.
Among the released prisoners, 29,927 committed crimes under the age of 18 and received a maximum sentence of three years in prison, or have less than a year left to serve.
With those convicted of homicide, rape, terrorism or narcotics offences excluded from the amnesty, all 2.35 million of China's prisoners were screened for eligibility.
Any who qualified could not be set free until the courts reviewed their cases. The police enforced the order and procuratorates supervised the process to ensure no abuse of power.
The whole process has demonstrated the CPC's confidence in advancing its ruling by law, as well as the Party's political wisdom.
Amnesties are common international practice on the occasion of major events, and also a system under the Constitution of China, which has long stressed governing by virtue and law.
The mercy shown to older prisoners is in line with the Criminal Law, which was amended in 2011 to allow leniency in the punishment of the aged, and also accords with China's tradition of respecting the elderly.
China's prisoner amnesty marks a leap forward in the country's humane application of the rule of law.
