A primer on petitioning in China

China's petitioning system, established in the early 1950s, has played a role in how the public supervises Party and government organs.

Under the system, the State Bureau for Letters and Calls, a central government department, handles petitioners and their grievances. Local governments also have corresponding bureaus.

The current Regulations on Letters and Visits, issued by the State Council, China's Cabinet, were enacted on May 1, 2005. According to the regulations, people can visit, write letters or make calls to a local bureau for letters and calls to seek help for an incident in which they believe a government authority has infringed upon their rights.