The Impact of Canada’s Assistance to Develop Legal Aid in China: A Case Study of Canada’s Soft Power in Promoting the Rule of Law Globally

The success in assisting the development of a legal aid system in China is an outstanding example of Canada’s soft power in promoting the rule of law and human rights globally. Even at present, we are still witnessing the positive impact of Canada’s early work in this field. In 1998-1999, through the CIDA-funded CCLDLA Project, the Vancouver-based ICCLR became the international pioneer helping China to set up its legal aid framework for legal aid. In 2003, China’s first Legal Aid Regulations were promulgated and, based on ICCLR’s groundbreaking work and at China’s request, the government of Canada launched a bilateral project CCLAS, with the CBA taking the lead in a consortium to assist staff training, setting up grass-root “model” legal service offices, and other working-level improvement in China. In 2012-2013, CBA launched another project for marginalized communities in China. Canadian program to assist Chinese law reforms ended in 2013. However, the results of Canada’s assistance in Chinese criminal justice reforms, including criminal procedures, community corrections, and legal aid, are not lost. In 2021, China finally enacted the Legal Aid Law. Legal aid services have continued to improve and expand in the past decade. As Canadians we are always prepared to share our best practices with countries when they are willing to improve their systems in light of international standards of the Rule of Law and human rights.

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