China on the move: Government legal advisor

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Twenty years have passed since the first legal advisor was retained by the local government in China. What role do they play in the process of government decision making? How do they help handle problems between the government and the people? Reporter, Xu Zhaoqun, went to Suzhou city in Jiangsu province to see how local lawyers work as government legal advisors.

Suzhou is a neat city, with many rivers washing through downtown. But rapid economic growth is also bringing more waste,especially from construction. During our short stay, we came across a meeting where the deputy warden of Pingjiang District was discussing the measures of rubbish management.

Deputy Warden: I'd like you to provide information you collected from the cases you dealt with, and from the people concerning the measures.

Lawyer: Item 13 says companies producing construction waste have to declare to the District Government and entrust government agencies for clean-up. This collides with the relevant regulation of the municipality, where waste producers may clean up the waste if they are able to do so.

The suggestion was taken. Then more disputes occurred.

Lawyer: The time limit to collect rubbish at random should be prescribed in the regulation.

Director of Warden's Office: I am afraid it's a bit difficult for us to set an accurate time in the regulation.

Director of Justice Bureau: I don't agree that a time should be set here in a regulation. There shouldn't be such detailed things in this regulatory document.

Finally, two of the lawyers' suggestions were taken, and one was rejected.