中国根据经济社会发展变化的实际，适时对刑法进行修改和解释，不断完善刑事法律制度。2011年2月通过的刑法修正案(八)对刑法作了比较重大的修改，取消了13个经济性非暴力犯罪的死刑，占中国刑法死刑罪名的19.1%；完善了对未成年人和年满75周岁的老年人从宽处理以及非监禁刑执行方式的法律规定；把不支付劳动报酬严重侵犯劳动者合法权益的行为、醉酒驾驶机动车等危险驾驶行为，规定为犯罪；加大了对一些侵犯公民人身自由、生命健康等犯罪行为的惩处力度，进一步完善了中国刑事法律制度，加强了对人权的保护，体现了中国社会文明的发展和国家民主法治的进步。

    诉讼与非诉讼程序法。诉讼与非诉讼程序法是规范解决社会纠纷的诉讼活动与非诉讼活动的法律规范。诉讼法律制度是规范国家司法活动解决社会纠纷的法律规范，非诉讼程序法律制度是规范仲裁机构或者人民调解组织解决社会纠纷的法律规范。截至2011年8月底，中国已制定了诉讼与非诉讼程序法方面的法律10部。

In the light of the actual situation brought about by economic and social development, China promptly revises and interprets its Criminal Law in an effort to improve the criminal legal system. Amendment VIII to the Criminal Law, passed in February 2011, made major revisions of the previous Criminal Law. It eliminates capital punishment for 13 non-violent economic-related offences, thus reducing the number of crimes subject to the death penalty by 19.1 percent; it improves legal provisions that give more lenient punishment and non-custodial penalties to minors and elderly people who have reached the age of 75; it stipulates that refusing to pay wages, seriously infringing upon the legal rights and interests of laborers, and drunk driving are criminal offences; it gives harsher punishment for criminal offences in violation of citizens' personal freedom, life and health. All this has improved China's criminal justice system, strengthened the protection of human rights, reflecting the development of China's social civilization and progress in the spheres of democracy and rule of law.

Litigation and Non-litigation Procedure Laws. These are laws giving standard solutions to various litigation and non-litigation activities arising from social disputes. The litigation system aims to regulate the state's judicial activities in settling social disputes, and the non-litigation system aims to regulate arbitration agencies and people's mediation organizations in settling social disputes. By the end of August 2011 China had enacted ten laws in the fields of litigation and non-litigation procedure.

    中国制定了刑事诉讼法，规定一切公民在适用法律上一律平等，人民法院、人民检察院分别独立行使审判权、检察权，人民法院、人民检察院、公安机关分工负责、互相配合、互相制约，保证犯罪嫌疑人、被告人获得辩护，未经人民法院依法判决，对任何人不得确定有罪等刑事诉讼的基本原则和制度，并规定了管辖、回避、辩护、证据、强制措施、侦查、起诉、审判、执行等制度和程序，有效保证了刑法的正确实施，保护了公民的人身权利、财产权利、民主权利和其他权利，保障了社会主义建设事业的顺利进行。

    中国制定了民事诉讼法，确立当事人有平等的诉讼权利、根据自愿和合法的原则进行调解、公开审判、两审终审等民事诉讼的基本原则和制度，明确了诉讼当事人的诉讼权利和诉讼义务，规范了证据制度，规定了第一审普通程序、第二审程序、简易程序、特别程序、审判监督程序等民事审判程序，还对执行程序、强制执行措施作了明确规定。

China's Criminal Procedure Law stipulates the basic system and principles of criminal procedures. For instance, the law applies equally to all citizens; the people's courts and people's procuratorates exercise judicial authority and procuratorial powers independently; the people's courts, people's procuratorates and public security organs divide their responsibilities, coordinate their efforts and check each other; ensure that criminal suspects and defendants obtain defense; and no one shall be convicted without a court decision. It also specifies the procedures such as jurisdiction, withdrawal, defense, evidence, enforcement measures, investigation, prosecution, trial and execution, which effectively guarantee the correct application of the Criminal Law, protect the personal, property, democratic and other rights of citizens so as to ensure the smooth progress of the cause of socialism.

China's Civil Procedure Law stipulates the following basic principles and system: the parties to civil litigation shall have equal litigation rights; mediation shall be conducted for the parties on a voluntary and lawful basis; the court shall follow the system of public trial and the court of second instance being that of last instance. It makes clear the litigation rights and obligations of the parties concerned, the use of evidence, the civil trial procedures such as ordinary procedure of first instance, procedure of second instance, summary procedure, special procedure, procedure for trial supervision, and procedure of execution and enforcement execution measures.