China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) on Thursday announced that it has established a special liaison office for lawyers' affairs, a move that aims to better protect the rights of lawyers.

The liaison office, the first specialized agency for lawyer-related work and communication set up within the top court, will coordinate and guide the courts' work involving lawyers' practice and communicate with the lawyers' profession and relevant departments, the SPC said in a statement.

It will also carry out research on judicial policies regarding the protection of lawyers' rights to improve the courts' working mechanisms concerning lawyers.

Moreover, lawyer associations may refer relevant matters to the office, which will in turn ensure issues are properly dealt with by responsible authorities.

The SPC noted that in recent years, Chinese courts have attached great importance to communication with lawyers, taking practical measures to ensure their rights of practicing law in judicial activities in accordance with the law and providing convenience for their work.