China's supreme court highlights stronger crackdown on emerging crimes

BEIJING -- China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) highlighted more law-based and coordinated governance of emerging crimes with tighter administrative and criminal penalties at a national meeting of high court presidents held in Beijing on Monday.

As crimes committed using internet information technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, tend to be more covert, malicious in intent, and socially harmful, such crimes should be punished more strictly to promote fairness and justice, the SPC said in a statement.

While cracking down hard on high-tech professional criminal gangs and crimes carried out through online coordination, courts should also thoroughly expose criminal methods, nature and harm to better educate and warn the public, the SPC said.

Noting that overall criminal cases are on a downward trend with serious crimes decreasing and minor crimes increasing, the SPC said criminal justice policy must be more targeted.

Courts will uphold a firm stance of severe punishment against crimes that seriously endanger national security and social stability, challenge legal and ethical bottom lines, or arouse strong public resentment, it said.

However, the SPC noted that for minor offenses carrying lighter statutory penalties, the focus will be on rehabilitating offenders and addressing the root causes of these crimes.

The SPC also said that the upward trend in juvenile crime cases was effectively curbed in 2025.

It urged criminal trials to better protect minors' civil and administrative rights, while requiring civil and administrative trials to eliminate negative factors that could lead to juvenile delinquency. The court called for a coordinated social governance approach, deepening efforts in family education guidance, recommending specialized schooling, and preventing student bullying to enhance overall protection for minors.