China Courts a Legal Solution to Its Regulatory Problems

In its struggle to enforce environmental regulations and consolidate underperforming enterprises, China's central government is turning to a historically marginalized branch of the state: the court system. Several recent developments illustrate Beijing's growing desire to restore courts' influence in the country to supplement its preferred regulatory enforcement tools, such as inspection teams and local environmental protection bureaus. But considering the history of China's legal and regulatory systems -- and the country's political power structure -- empowering the courts will be easier said than done....