In a bid to make its criminal justice system more "humane", China is all set to gradually phase out killings by firing squad by introducing death by lethal injection for those awarded capital punishment.
By the end of the year all criminals sentenced to death in Beijing will receive a lethal injection instead of being executed by gunshot.
"As lethal injection is the most popular method for execution adopted by countries with capital punishment, China will follow suit," Hu Yunteng, director general of a research bureau told China Daily.
"It is considered more humane as it reduces criminals' fear and pain compared with gunshot execution," Hu said.
The Beijing Municipal High People's Court has already made preparations for the change, including allocation of staff and boosting technical capacity.
It will soon start training judicial police, who will deliver the prisoners and administer the injections, and also medical staff who will supervise the use of the drugs as well as monitor and confirm the deaths.
"Lethal injection will be used in all intermediate people's courts, though such a procedure is not possible in the short term because of the high costs of input and enforcement," Hu added.
