If a specific administrative act has been undertaken by an organization authorized to undertake the act by the law or regulations, the organization shall be the defendant. If a specific administrative act has been undertaken by an organization as entrusted by an administrative organ, the entrusting organ shall be the defendant.

If a administrative organ has been abolished, the administrative organ that carries on the exercise of functions and powers of the abolished organ shall be the defendant.

Article 26 A joint suit shall be constituted when one party or both parties consist of two or more persons and the administrative cases are against the same specific administrative act or against the specific administrative acts of the same nature and the people's court considers that the cases can be handled together.

Article 27 If any other citizen, legal person or any other organization has interests in a specific administrative act under litigation, he or it may, as a third party, file a request to participate in the proceedings or may participate in them when so notified by the people's court.

Article 28 Any citizen with no capacity to take part in litigation shall have one or more legal representatives who will act on his behalf in a suit. If the legal representatives try to shift their responsibilities onto each other, the people's court may appoint one of them as the representative of the principal in litigation.

Article 29 Each party or legal representative may entrust one or two persons to represent him in litigation.

A lawyer, a public organization, a near relative of the citizen bringing the suit, or a person recommended by the unit to which the citizen bringing the suit belongs or any other citizen approved by the people's court may be entrusted as an agent ad litem.

Article 30 A lawyer who serves as an agent ad litem may consult materials pertaining to the case in accordance with relevant provisions, and may also investigate among and collect evidence from the organizations and citizens concerned. If the information involves state secrets or the private affairs of individuals, he shall keep it confidential in accordance with relevant provisions of the law.

With the approval of the people's court, parties and other agents ad litem may consult the materials relating to the court proceedings of the case, except those that involve state secrets or the private affairs of individuals.

Chapter V Evidence

Article 31 Evidence shall be classified as follows:

(1) documentary evidence;

(2) material evidence;

(3) audio-visual material;

(4) testimony of witnesses;

(5) statements of the parties;

(6) expert conclusions; and

(7) records of inquests and records made on the scene.

Any of the above-mentioned evidence must be verified by the court before it can be taken as a basis for ascertaining a fact.

Article 32 The defendant shall have the burden or proor for the specific administrative act he has undertaken and shall provide the evidence and regulatory documents in accordance with which the act has been undertaken.

Article 33 In the course of legal proceedings, the defendant shall not by himself collect evidence from the plaintiff and witnesses.

Article 34 A people's court shall have the authority to request the parties to provide or supplement evidence.

A people's court shall have the authority to obtain evidence from the relevant administrative organs, other organizations or citizens.

Article 35 In the course of legal proceedings, when a people's court considers that an expert evaluation for a specialized problem is necessary, the expert evaluation shall be made by a expert evaluation department as specified by law. In the absence of such a department, the people's court shall designate one to conduct the expert evaluation.

Article 36 Under circumstances where there is a likelihood that evidence may be destroyed or lost or difficult to obtain later on, the participants in proceedings may apply to the people's court for the evidence to be preserved. The people's court may also on its own initiative take measures to preserve such evidence.