Beijing must reform mainland's flawed and unfair legal system

The economic progress of China has amazed the world. In contrast, the international community has been dismayed by the judicial process on the mainland.

As law professor Jerome Cohen and Taiwan lawyer Yu-Jie Chen pointed out ('Law unto itself', April 1), its 'domestic legal system' is harming its image globally.

It is ignoring obligations made through the United Nations and in conventions with other countries. Beijing should be ensuring a judicial process which is fair, open and equal with all defendants being entitled to legal representation.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said before the start of the Rio Tinto trial that the world was watching China. What he meant was that the trial must be conducted in a fair and open manner and that the defendants must have full access to their lawyers.

After the trial was over, he said China had missed an opportunity by conducting [some of] the case behind closed doors. Beijing replies to such criticism from abroad by talking about interference in judicial sovereignty.

Why were some of the powerful individuals and companies involved in this case not summoned to appear in court? Also, victims of the tainted milk scandal were not allowed to attend the trials of those responsible.

There are now fears of, in some cases, kangaroo courts with open and shut cases. Critics talk of justice Chinese-style, where the outcomes are the ones that officials want.