Rule of law moving ahead

China Law Blog points at this story in Asia Times that illustrates the way how the Chinese government is pushing ahead the "rule of law".

In December 2003, farmers in Changting village in Fenghua city of Zhejiang province were told that all of the village's 180 hectares of land would be requisitioned for construction, and they should approach the village committee for compensation as soon as possible.

One villager Zhang Zhaoling decides to push the issue ahead, and with success. Massive media interest indicates that the central government is supporting the case. A typical Chinese way of pushing ahead with changes.