Abstract: As the United Nations Convention Against Corruption officially takes effect in China，system of criminal trials in absentia has become the focus among theoretical circles in China.For a long time，China takes bench trial in criminal suit.However，absolute prohibition of trials in absentia not only stands in the way of protecting the interests of the victims and improving the efficiency of litigation，but also affects maintenance of judicial authority and social stability.What′s more，the system of trials in absentia has been in practice in the procedural laws of China except for in criminal procedure law.It is necessary to establish the system of criminal trials in absentia in our country in order to meet the needs of fighting against crimes in cooperation with the international community and further improve legislation on criminal proceedings.

Key words: criminal proceedings, trials in absentia, defendant, justice, efficiency 