Current Views on China’s Rule of Law Development

China has made great strides in introducing a modern body of law and legal institutions over the course of the past 30 years. In the process, it also has raised the legal awareness and expectations of its citizens. Yet the country still faces major hurdles in enforcing laws, ensuring an independent judiciary and facilitating the access of ordinary citizens to the legal system.

In this program, Georgetown University Law Center Professor James Feinerman identified some of the major milestones in China’s legal reforms and provided a broader context in which to consider them. University of Washington Law School Professor Titi Liu, who served for seven years as the Ford Foundation’s law and rights program officer in Beijing, highlighted some grassroots-level developments, particularly in the field of legal aid.