BEIJING - For all the scepticism and sarcasm about President Xi Jinping's pledge to advance rule by law and ensure social justice and fairness, Chinese private lender Dong Xueyong is still a true believer.

Since 2016, Mr Dong has made more than 30 court appearances in seven cities, including Beijing where he now lives, after filing multiple lawsuits against the Hainan subsidiary of China National Silk Import and Export Corp, a state-owned enterprise (SOE).