On 27 June 2025, China’s top legislature, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, adopted the newly revised “Law of the People’s Republic of China on Public Security Administration Punishments” (治安管理处罚法(2025修订), hereinafter the “Revision”), which will come into force on 1 Jan. 2026.
This marks the first major overhaul of the law since its implementation in 2005. The revision is designed to address emerging social security challenges, standardize law enforcement procedures, and enhance overall public safety in an evolving social landscape.
The updated law, which comprises 144 articles across six chapters, expands the scope of punishable offenses to address modern legal gaps. It now explicitly prohibits activities such as exam cheating, organizing pyramid schemes, insulting heroes and martyrs, and throwing objects from heights. Additionally, the law introduces new penalties for the abuse of children, the elderly, and the disabled, as well as the illegal sale of personal information, reflecting a heightened focus on protecting the rights of vulnerable populations.
To promote fairer enforcement, the Revision requires police officers to present their official identification, regulates solo officer actions, mandates full audio and video recording for on-site seizures, and improves mediation processes with an emphasis on legality, fairness, and voluntariness. The Revision explicitly recognizes legitimate self-defense, stating that actions to stop an ongoing unlawful assault will not be punished, though excessive force resulting in significant harm may lead to reduced penalties.
The Revision also introduces significant updates to juvenile justice. While it strengthens administrative detention provisions for minors aged 14 to 18 who commit serious or repeated offenses, it simultaneously establishes a record-sealing system for minor violations, which is intended to protect the privacy of minor offenders, reduce social discrimination, and support their reintegration into society.