The CCP's Petition System Is About Handling Petitioners

Jul 27, 2024

Due to the lack of judicial independence in China’s legal institutions, and the frequent disregard for legal procedures, cases that should be handled by the courts are often pushed into the petition system. The CCP modeled its petition system on the ancient practice where the populace could directly appeal to the emperor, known as “appealing to the imperial court.” In theory, this system is supposed to provide the public with a channel to express dissatisfaction and seek redress for government misconduct and abuse of power.

In ancient times, feudal rulers allowed this system to maintain the image of a just and wise emperor, making people believe that the problem lay with local officials rather than the emperor himself. The purpose was to give the common people a form of political reassurance by allowing them a “legitimate channel to petition the emperor.” However, this practice often conflicted with local powers, leading local officials to intercept petitioners—sometimes even confiscating their travel funds to prevent them from reaching the capital.

Similarly, the CCP’s petition system, which was initially meant to symbolize justice, has been distorted under the heavy bureaucracy, transforming into a tool for maintaining control rather than dispensing justice.

Firstly, the petition system is highly inefficient in processing cases, resulting in severe delays and backlogs. As a result, the system has become overwhelmed. Many petitioners experience long waits and repetitive procedures, falling into a cycle of endless waiting and unresolved issues, often without any effective resolution. According to some studies and critics, the proportion of petitioners who successfully resolve their issues is extremely low, highlighting the inefficiency of the system. Even more disheartening is the lack of transparency and accountability within the system, further exacerbating the public’s dissatisfaction and sense of helplessness.

Despite the fact that many petition issues remain unresolved for years, local governments are more focused on controlling the petitioners rather than solving their problems. Those who petition are effectively labeled as unstable elements and are subjected to surveillance. The petition system clearly exhibits manipulation and abuse of power by local governments. Some local governments use various means to suppress or retaliate against petitioners, including illegal detention, harassment, intimidation, and even corporal punishment. There is evidence that local authorities, in order to prevent petitions from escalating, resort to using “black jails”—illegal detention facilities—to imprison and punish petitioners, which is a severe violation of the law.

The higher levels of the CCP government are certainly aware of these issues, and their attempts to reform the petition system are merely for show. They obviously tolerate local officials’ disregard for the law, as they are the architects and beneficiaries of this system, fully aware of its purpose.

In reality, this system is used by the CCP to maintain stability. In most cases, it is not about addressing the grievances of the petitioners but rather about handling the petitioners themselves. Instead of truly listening to and resolving their demands, the CCP government prefers to silence the petitioners through various means and measures. This approach has rendered the petition system’s stated purpose—to provide a fair resolution for the public—entirely meaningless.

– This text was translated by AI. –