In Depth: Why Fewer Criminal Appeals Cases Are Getting Heard in China

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Since 2017, fewer than 20% of criminal appeals received a hearing, according to a 2021 book written by Sun Changyong, a Shanghai Jiao Tong University law professor who specializes in criminal procedure. Photo: VCG

For the judges who were in charge of the appeal of Jiang Wang, a 43-year-old antique dealer convicted of fraud in October, the case was worth a 1,000-kilometer (621-mile) trip to the appellant’s hometown to “gather evidence.” What it was not worth, however, was a courtroom hearing.

In May, Yantai Intermediate People’s Court in East China’s Shandong province upheld Jiang’s conviction and 12 ½ year prison sentence. Jiang case represents a broader trend in China — a shrinking share of criminal conviction appeals is receiving hearings by the courts.