Chinese prosecuting agencies have emphasized the importance of the protection of minors involved in crimes during the handling of relevant cases, according to the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP).

In the first half of 2023, over 20,000 juvenile criminal suspects, or 67.9 percent of the total, were pardoned from arrest, the SPP said on Wednesday.

It added that 14,000 juvenile criminal suspects were conditionally granted a pardon from prosecution by procuratorates during this period.

SPP statistics showed that prosecuting agencies in the country provided over 50 million yuan (around 7.01 million U.S. dollars) in judicial assistance to more than 6,000 minor victims with financial difficulties.

According to the SPP, procuratorates nationwide have implemented the policy of combining punishment with education in handling juvenile delinquency cases, stepping up efforts to rehabilitate juvenile offenders through measures such as promoting special education and psychological counseling programs.