Despite a growing Chinese legal profession, average citizens still face significant political and economic problems in accessing the formal Chinese judicial system. As a result, Chinese citizens resort to a vast array of different tactics to resolve their grievances. These include mass petitions of government agencies, appeals to the media, and rural protests, in addition to more formal measures such as consultations with local justice bureaus or government-funded legal aid centers.

This Roundtable will examine the various strategies pursued by Chinese citizens to seek true justice, analyze their effectiveness, and assess how they reflect on government efforts to manage mounting social tension.

Statement of Panelists:

Kevin O'Brien
Professor of Political Science, University of California, Berkeley

Benjamin Liebman
Associate Professor, Director of the Center for Chinese Legal Studies, Columbia Law School


Transcripts:

Access to Justice in China (Text)

Access to Justice in China (PDF)