China's Judicial System

The judiciary in China has both broad and narrow meanings. Broadly speaking, the judiciary means law-enforcement activities conducted by the country's judicial organs and organizations in handling prosecuted or non-prosecuted cases. Narrowly speaking, it applies to law-enforcement activities conducted by the country's judicial organs in handling prosecuted cases. This presentation uses the term in the broader sense.

Judicial organs here mean public-security organs (including state security organs) responsible for investigation, prosecution, trial and execution of cases, the prosecutors, the trial institutions and the custodial system. Judicial organizations here refer to lawyers, public notaries, and arbitration organizations. The latter, though not part of the judicial apparatus, are an integral part and a link in the overall judiciary system.

The judiciary system in general refers to the nature, mission, organizational setup, principles and procedures of judicial organs and other judicial organizations. This system comprises sub-systems for investigation, prosecution, trial procedures, jails, judicial administration, arbitration, lawyers, public notaries and state compensation.