Jiang Tianyong stands trial in a court in Changsha, Hunan Province, on Tuesday, August 22, 2017. [Photo: thepaper.cn]

Former Chinese lawyer Jiang Tianyong, who was charged for inciting State subversion, said on Tuesday in court that his overseas training in Western constitutionalism had sparked ideas in him to overthrow China's socialist system.

Jiang, 46, stood trial on Tuesday at the People's Intermediate Court of Changsha, Central China's Hunan Province.

Jiang admitted to have gone overseas for workshops five times over the years.

"The workshops were mainly about Western constitutional system. They had an impact on me, helping develop ideas of overthrowing China's [socialist] system and implementing the Western system in China. All these have motivated me to attack the Chinese government and its judicial organs," Jiang said in court.

Jiang said his comments on Twitter and Sina Weibo had misled the Chinese netizens and incited discontent.

In a written confession released in court, Jiang wrote that "I wish to convey to the public my dissatisfaction toward the Communist Party of China, the government, the police and the judicial system, to influence them and incite discontent … in order to achieve the goal of change the current system and overthrow the Party."

The prosecutors displayed evidence of Jiang attending a workshop in the University of Washington in 2009. He had also admitted to receiving trainings in Hong Kong.

Jiang said he regretted his behavior and actions.

Jiang became a lawyer in Beijing in 2004 but was barred from practicing law by the Beijing Justice Bureau in 2009.