BEIJING, April 26  -- Chinese lawyers' practice should be protected and regulated, Xiong Xuanguo, vice minister of justice said at a press conference of the Ministry of Justice on Wednesday.

According to Xiong, there are problems in the protection of lawyers' rights in practice. In some cases, lawyers are refused or delayed from meeting their clients, evidence cannot be obtained or collected in full, and lawyers and prosecutors face discrimination.

Lawyers who face such problems can seek protection in lawyers' associations. By the end of March, 31 provincial lawyers' associations and the Lawyers' Association of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps had been set up, covering most of the country.

Violations of lawyers' rights in practice should be handled, investigated and given feedback in a timely manner.

Lawyers should strengthen self-discipline, Xiong said. The Ministry of Justice established a complaint center to handle complaints about lawyers' misconduct.