China's top legislature handled nearly 190,000 petitions filed by the public last year, as complaints grew with the country's economic development and a yawning wealth gap.

About 130,000 petitions were filed, and another 58,000 petitioners chose to file their complaints through visits, according to the source with the Standing Committee of National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature.

The complaints care oncerned court rulings, government services, or prosecutor's offices. NPC officials will forward the complaints to departments concerned, said Zhou Chengkui, an official with Education, Science, Culture and Health Committee of NPC.

Upon receiving the complaints forwarded by the General Office of the NPC Standing Committee, the departments should file feedback within three months.

It is a centuries-old Chinese tradition to seek justice from higher authorities, even top leaders, upon the perception of mistreatment by officials or courts.

Along with the rapid economic growth in the past decade, Chinese society is undergoing drastic institutional and ideological changes.

(Xinhua News Agency February 28, 2006)