Key changes to China's judicial system since 2012

People buy books about China's criminal law at a bookstore in Yichang, Hubei province on October 29, 2014. [Photo/VCG]

7. Public interest litigation allowed

In June, China's top legislature passed amendments to the civil and administrative procedure laws to allow prosecutors to institute public interest litigation.

Prosecutors are allowed to file civil lawsuits against any act that compromises public rights and interests related to protection of environment and resources, as well as food and drug safety, according to the amendment to the Civil Procedure Law.

Before amending the laws, the Supreme People's Procuratorate began a two-year pilot program in July 2015, allowing prosecutors in 13 provincial divisions to institute public interest litigation in administrative and civil cases. By the end of May 2017, procuratorates had handled 7,886 public interest lawsuits and filed 934 cases in the pilot reform.