The Evolution of the Legal System of Public Interest Litigation in China: A LDA Topic Modelling Perspective

Public interest litigation (PIL) is widely recognized as an effective tool for promoting social change and protecting public interests. In response to growing social and environmental challenges, China has significantly developed its PIL system. However, existing research has primarily focused on specific legal aspects, without providing a comprehensive analysis of its overall evolution. This study employs Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), a statistical topic modeling technique, to examine thematic shifts in China’s PIL framework through key legal texts. The findings demonstrate that LDA is a reliable and interpretable method for uncovering topic changes, revealing the sustained significance of issues such as environmental protection, food safety, judicial fairness, and cultural heritage preservation. Based on these evolving themes, the study proposes targeted policy implications, including strengthening regulations, enhancing judicial transparency, promoting corporate responsibility, and preserving cultural heritage. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the development of China’s PIL system and highlights the value of data-driven approaches in advancing legal studies and informing policymaking.