Hunan became the first province to integrate online and offline legal aid when its public legal service center and website started operation on Jan 8.

"The brick-and-mortar center and the website are like two wings of legal service," said Tan Jingchun, head of the province's department of justice.

Tan said 41 public legal service centers have been built in Hunan and a five-tier system will be finished by 2017. There are more than 130 legal aid centers, nearly 2,000 legal service organizations, and nearly 20,000 legal professionals.

The authorities are planning to make the website available to more people in the province. Tan said his department is making it possible for legal professionals to offer online services at the website.