The death penalty in the People's Republic of China is commonly used for many crimes. Executions in China are far more common then they are in the few remaining countries with the death penalty still in place. Compared to developed countries, death penalties in China are carried out far more quickly.
In China the number of women executed is far larger then that of the other countries that enforce the death penalty.
At least 1000 executions took place in China in 2006, but it is said that many executions take place without public announcements. This number can be up to 3000 executions. Although there are more executions taking place in China then any other country, since the population of China is so large, the ratio of executions is very small.
China's top legislature adopted a change to the law on the country's court system requiring all death sentences to be approved by the Supreme People's Court.
The amendment to the country's death penalty will came into effect on January 1, 2007. It is believed to be the most important reform on capital punishment in China in more than 20 years.
The death penalty is currently used in China more then in any other part of the world. It is used on juveniles, men, and women alike. People around the world are worried about the extensive use of capital punishment in China, but in Germany in 2004, Chinese elders stated that China will abolish the death penalty in the long run.