In the last three decades, China has witnessed the development of consultative and deliberative institutions (He, 2006).An increasing number of public hearings have provided people with opportunities to express their opinions on a wide range of issues, such as the price of water and electricity, park entry fees, the relocation of farmers, the conservation of historical landmarks, and even the relocation of the famous Beijing zoo, to name a few (Zhongzhao, et al., 2004).