Administrative Enforcement's Uncertain Future

A judicial arena in China called administrative enforcement lets a basic government administrative agency function as a law writer, enforcer and judge.

Provincial health bureaus, city police forces and other agencies are allowed to target certain groups – and their properties – whose activities conflict with administrative goals.

A proposed law designed to more tightly control administrative enforcement practices has been on the central government's legislative agenda for several years, and subjected to intense debate. But it remains in limbo.

Indeed, the draft proposal may never get past the pre-legislative agenda stage.