MEDIEVAL LAW

China is tough on drugs, no doubt about that. The world's largest nation
observed the United Nations International Anti-Drug Day during last weekend
by putting at least 28 convicted dealers to death.

"After having their identities confirmed they were then separately taken to
the execution ground and shot," the Xinhua news service said, rather
phlegmatically, about seven executions in the southern island province of
Hainan. We are happy that those identities were confirmed.

The total number of executions in China remains a state secret, but Amnesty
International reports that two-thirds of all known applications of the death
penalty in the world are in China. Even considering the population of the
country, two-thirds is quite a chunk. Even dyed-in-the-wool death-penalty
advocates in North America might find the gallows zeal in China a bit much.
Tax evasion and the acceptance of bribes are two potential capital crimes.

There is no doubt that China, bordering the Golden Triangle and Afghanistan,
faces a serious challenge. The nation has taken some positive steps by
encouraging farmers in poppy-growing areas to plant safe and legal crops.
The wholesale slaughter of felons, however, tells the world that the drug
problem is mirrored by an equally pressing crisis in the medieval Chinese
system of justice.