China's top legislature handled nearly 190,000 petitions filed
by the public last year, as complaints grew with the country's
economic development and a yawning wealth gap.
About 130,000 petitions were filed, and another 58,000
petitioners chose to file their complaints through visits,
according to the source with the Standing Committee of National
People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature.
The complaints care oncerned court rulings, government services,
or prosecutor's offices. NPC officials will forward the complaints
to departments concerned, said Zhou Chengkui, an official with
Education, Science, Culture and Health Committee of NPC.
Upon receiving the complaints forwarded by the General Office of
the NPC Standing Committee, the departments should file feedback
within three months.
It is a centuries-old Chinese tradition to seek justice from
higher authorities, even top leaders, upon the perception of
mistreatment by officials or courts.
Along with the rapid economic growth in the past decade, Chinese
society is undergoing drastic institutional and ideological
changes.
(Xinhua News Agency February 28, 2006)
