Litigation in public interests encouraged

THE GUANGDONG PROVINCIAL CONSUMERS' ASSOCIATION in South China has filed the country's first public interest lawsuit for consumers requesting compensation. It is seeking more than 10 million yuan ($1.44 million) from 20 defendants who sold substandard pork products to customers. Southern Metropolis Daily commented on Tuesday:

Guangdong's public interest lawsuit marks a praiseworthy attempt to keep individual offenders and businesses in check.

Up until 2013 when the Law on the Protection of Consumer Rights and Interests was revised, only individuals and corporations whose interests were directly involved could resort to litigation. Since the revision, judicial organs of the country have cleared obstacles for the consumers' associations to file public interest lawsuits.

Against the backdrop of increasing pollution and food safety offenses, such efforts are called for to add legal support to curb such harmful practices. It is reported that the fourth quarter of last year witnessed a spike in the number of public interest lawsuits in such aspects as environmental protection, highlighting that litigation is becoming more popular as a way to better protect the interests of the general public.

It is worth all the efforts, because local administrative organs will feel a stronger urge to shoulder their due responsibilities and correct their wrongdoings in the face of public interest lawsuits.

Two years ago, prosecutors in Qingliu county, East China's Fujian province, filed a public interest lawsuit against the local environmental protection bureau, which eventually performed its duty to take care of electronic waste after rounds of delay.

More such cases are welcome to protect the public's interests. The power of law should follow citizens, as the shadow follows the body. In order to protect the public interest litigation system and make it more fit for its purpose, the judicial system must be developed so it is more conducive to citizens' participation.