China Bans Complaints to Central Government in Beijing

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Mainland Chinese Protest Human Rights Violations During CCP

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The Chinese government has made it illegal for petitioners to pose their complaints to the central government by traveling to Beijing. In an attempt to manage the thousands of dissenters who go to the capital, and also to save face,  legal officials are supposed to visit areas with many complaints to resolve their problems.

This is not the first indication of Beijing`s intolerance of petitioners in the capital, however it is the first time the highest level of the Communist federal government has taken such steps. The action taken is part of an attempt to create national stability before the 60th Anniversary of the People`s Republic of China, which is to be celebrated in October.

People can also file their petitions online and will supposedly receive a response within two months. Petitioners have also been warned that if they make repeated trips to Beijing, their grievances will be ignored by the State.

Going straight to the capital with a complaint is connected to an old tradition in imperial China, where citizens would go straight to the emperor with their problems. However, the current practice of bypassing local authorities is caused by a widespread distrust of the local courts and officials, according to the BBC.