Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 07GUANGZHOU806, China Rule of Law: Improving Legal Efficiency

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #07GUANGZHOU806.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07GUANGZHOU806 2007-07-16 07:51 2011-08-23 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Guangzhou
VZCZCXRO3315
RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHGZ #0806/01 1970751
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 160751Z JUL 07
FM AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6270
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEAWJA/DOJ WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GUANGZHOU 000806 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
USDOJ FOR CHRISTOPHER LEHMANN, OPDAT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KJUS CH
SUBJECT: China Rule of Law: Improving Legal Efficiency 
 
(U) THIS DOCUMENT IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  IT SHOULD NOT BE 
DISSEMINATED OUTSIDE U.S. GOVERNMENT CHANNELS OR IN ANY PUBLIC FORUM 
WITHOUT THE WRITTEN CONCURRENCE OF THE ORIGINATOR.  IT SHOULD NOT BE 
POSTED ON THE INTERNET. 
 
1. (U) SUMMARY: In late June conversations with local judges, 
academics, and lawyers in Guangdong Province, Embassy Beijing 
Resident Legal Advisor Ronald Cheng discussed ways to improve the 
efficiency of legal process, responded to inquiries about U.S. legal 
culture, and the problems related to legal protections and client 
access.  Other issues discussed included judicial corruption, 
witnesses who are compelled to appear in court, and the amendment of 
China's Lawyer Law.  END SUMMARY 
 
Burdened with high caseloads, judges seek efficiency 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
2. (SBU) Twelve judges from the Foshan Intermediate People's Court 
attended Cheng's June 27 presentation on U.S. criminal procedure. 
The Vice President of Foshan Intermediate Court Lai Zining, a good 
contact of the consulate's, who is forward leaning in his thinking 
about the rights of the accused, said that judges were overwhelmed 
with both investigative and procedural responsibilities.  According 
to the Foshan judges, the Intermediate People's Court had over 500 
judges who handled 100,000 cases in 2006, more than ten percent of 
which were criminal cases. 
 
3. (SBU) During the discussion, judges inquired about methods used 
in the U.S. legal system to balance the dual needs of efficiency and 
justice.  Of particular interest were the concepts of plea 
bargaining (which the judges admitted would improve the efficiency 
of the process, albeit at the risk of additional corruption), and 
criminal discovery, especially the handling of late-disclosed 
evidence at trial. 
 
Academics curious about U.S. legal culture 
----------------- ------------------------ 
 
4. (SBU) In their meetings with on June 27 and 28, academics from 
the Law School of South China University of Technology (SCUT) and 
Guangzhou Academy of Social Science expressed interest in 
widely-publicized U.S. court cases -- those with sensational crimes 
or lengthy litigations, and often involving celebrities, and which 
were atypical in the U.S. legal system.  Attendees also discussed 
jury selection, probation, and early release.  Professor Hou 
Lingling of SCUT asked how a case like the recent Shanxi brick kiln 
scandal, involving forced labor and child labor, would have been 
handled in the United States. The members of the legal faculty 
clearly admired the mature nature of the U.S. legal system and its 
concepts of equality and governance by law. 
 
Lawyers call for more rights and protections 
---------------- --------------------------- 
 
5. (SBU) During a visit to a medium-sized law firm in Guangzhou on 
June 28 and roundtable meeting with eight criminal defense lawyers 
from different law firms, Cheng heard complaints of unfair treatment 
by judges and law enforcement.  One former lawyer claimed that he 
had received an eighteen-month prison sentence for "assisting in the 
falsification of evidence."  Lawyers debated the incidence of 
judicial corruption in criminal cases, but agreed that corruption 
did not affect the guilt determination; instead it affected the 
length of imprisonment. 
 
6. (SBU) The lawyers also lamented obstruction by law enforcement 
bureaus during the investigation stage of a case.  To meet with 
clients, lawyers must first obtain approval from the prison 
authority, a process which normally takes at least one week.  Once 
approved, meeting time is limited -- sometimes only ten to fifteen 
minutes.  The lawyers stated that such conditions made it difficult 
to provide effective legal counsel. 
 
7. (SBU) In Cheng's meeting with the Guangdong Bar Association on 
June 29, Criminal Commission Director Liu Tao confirmed that 
interference from law enforcement departments and a lack of legal 
protection for lawyers were the primary obstacles faced by criminal 
defense lawyers. Though Liu tried to limit the discussion to the 
prescribed time of one hour, the enthusiasm of her colleagues in 
asking questions about plea bargaining, mediation, discovery, 
defense pre-trial investigation, and bail extended the meeting to 
ninety minutes. 
 
Unwilling witnesses 
------------------- 
 
8. (SBU) Judges, academics, and lawyers all commented on the 
difficulty of compelling witnesses to appear in court.  Chinese law 
 
GUANGZHOU 00000806  002 OF 002 
 
 
requires witnesses to appear in court, yet in reality only about ten 
percent do so in criminal cases.  (Lawyers claimed that the 
percentage was lower, while judges and academics said the situation 
had improved to twelve-or-thirteen percent.)  Instead of enforcement 
or other legal remedies, the prevailing practice in China is for 
lawyers or judges to pressure family members, friends, neighbors, or 
employers to persuade the witness to appear.  Lacking a bailiff 
system or the ability to call for local police to act on their 
behalf, judges find it difficult to enforce rulings. 
 
Amendment to the Lawyer Law 
--------------------------- 
 
9. (U) China is currently in the process of amending its Lawyer Law. 
 When asked to predict how the amendment would affect them, judges 
said that effects would be minimal, academics were interested in a 
new regulation permitting solo private practice, and the lawyers 
hoped to enjoy increased protection under the new law. 
 
10. (U) This cable has been cleared by Embassy Beijing Resident 
Legal Advisor Ronald Cheng. 
 
GOLDBERG