CRIMINAL LAW OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

The National People’s Congress

Order of the President of the People’s Republic of China

No.83

The Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China has been revised at the Second Session of the Fifth National People’s Congress
on March 14, 1997, hereby promulgate the revised edition, and shall enter into force as of October 1, 1997.

President of the People’s Republic of China: Jiang Zemin

March 14, 1997

Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China ContentsPart 1 General Provisions

Chapter I The Tasks, Basic Principles and Scope of Application of the

Criminal Law

Chapter II Crimes

Section 1 Crimes and Criminal Responsibility

Section 2 Preparation for a Crime, Criminal Attempt and Discontinuation

of a Crime

Section 3 Joint Crimes

Section 4 Crimes committed by a unit

Chapter III Punishments

Section 1 Types of Punishments

Section 2 Public Surveillance

Section 3 Criminal Detention

Section 4 Fixed-term Imprisonment and Life Imprisonment

Section 5 The Death Penalty

Section 6 Fines

Section 7 Deprivation of Political Rights

Section 8 Confiscation of Property

Chapter IV The Concrete Application of Punishments

Section 1 Sentencing

Section 2 Recidivists

Section 3 Voluntary Surrender and Rendering Meritorious Service

Section 4 Combined Punishment for Several Crimes

Section 5 Suspension of Sentence

Section 6 Commutation of Punishment

Section 7 Parole

Section 8 Limitation

Chapter V Other Provisions Part 2 Specific Provisions

Chapter I Crimes of Endangering the State Security

Chapter II Crimes of Endangering Public Security

Chapter III Crimes of Undermining the Socialist Market Economic Order

Section 1 Crimes of Production and Sale of Fake or Substandard

Commodities

Section 2 Crimes of Smuggling

Section 3 Crimes of Impairing Order of Administering upon Companies

and Enterprises

Section 4 Crimes of Undermining Order of Administering upon Banking

Section 5 Crimes of Financial Fraud

Section 6 Crimes of Endangering Taxes Collection and Administration

Section 7 Crimes of Infringing upon Intellectual Property Rights

Section 8 Crimes of Disturbing Market Order

Chapter IV Crimes of Infringing upon the Rights of the Person and the

Democratic Rights of Citizens

Chapter V Crimes of Property Violation

Chapter VI Crimes of Obstructing the Administration of Public Order

Section 1 Crimes of Disturbing Public Order

Section 2 Crimes of Impairing Judicial Activities

Section 3 Crimes of Impairing Regulations of National Boundary

(Borderline)

Section 4 Crimes of Impairing Regulations of Cultural Relics

Section 5 Crimes of Endangering Public Health

Section 6 Crimes of Undermining Protection of Environmental Resource

Section 7 Crimes of Smuggling, Trafficking in, Transporting and

Manufacturing Narcotic Drugs

Section 8 Crimes of Organizing, Forcing, Luring, Sheltering and

Introducing Women into Prostitution

Section 9 Crimes of Manufacturing, Trafficking in and Disseminating

Pornographic Articles

Chapter VII Crimes of Endangering Interests of National Defence

Chapter VIII Crimes of Embezzlement and Bribery

Chapter IX Crimes of Dereliction of Duty

Chapter X Crimes Contrary to Duties Committed by Servicemen

Supplementary Provisions

Part 1 General Provisions

Chapter I The Tasks, Basic Principles and Scope of Application of the Criminal Law

Article 1

This Law is formulated with a view to punishing crimes and protecting the people, and in accordance with the Constitution, and in
the light of the concrete experiences in fighting against crimes and the actual circumstances.

Article 2

The tasks of the Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China are to use criminal punishments to fight against all criminal acts
in order to defend the security of the State; to defend the political power of the people’s dictatorship and socialist system; to
protect property owned by the State and the property collectively owned by the working people; to protect the citizens’ privately
owned property; to protect the citizens’ rights of the person and their democratic and other rights; to maintain public order and
economical order, and to safeguard the smooth progress of the cause of the socialist revolution and socialist construction.

Article 3

Where an act is expressly defined in laws as a criminal act, it shall be determined and punished as a criminal act in accordance with
the law; where an act is not expressly defined in the laws as a criminal act, it shall not be determined and punished as a criminal
act.

Article 4

Anyone who commit a crime shall be equal in applying the law. No one is privileged to be beyond the law.

Article 5

The lightness or heaviness of the punishments shall be in accordance with the criminal acts and the criminal responsibility of the
criminals.

Article 6

This Law is applicable to anyone who commits a crime within the territory of the People’s Republic of China, unless the case is covered
by special legal provisions.

This Law is also applicable to anyone who commits a crime on board a ship or an aircraft of the People’s Republic of China.

If the criminal act or its consequence takes place within the territory of the People’s Republic of China, the crime shall be deemed
to have been committed within the territory of the People’s Republic of China.

Article 7

This Law is applicable to the citizens of the People’s Republic of China who commit crimes prescribed in this Law outside the territory
of the People’s Republic of China; however, they may not be investigated if for those crimes this Law prescribes a maximum punishment
of fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years.

This Law is applicable to state functionaries and servicemen of the People’s Republic of China who commit crimes outside the territory
of the People’s Republic of China.

Article 8

This Law may be applicable to any foreigner who commits a crime outside the territory of the People’s Republic of China, against the
state of the People’s Republic of China or against its citizens, if for that crime this Law prescribes a minimum punishment of fixed-term
imprisonment of not less than three years; however, this does not apply to a crime that is not punishable according to the law of
the place where it was committed.

Article 9

This Law is applicable to the crimes prescribed in the international treaties concluded or acceded to by the People’s Republic of
China and over which the People’s Republic of China has criminal jurisdiction within its obligation in accordance with the treaties.

Article 10

If any person commits a crime outside the territory of the People’s Republic of China for which according to this Law he would bear
criminal responsibility, he may still be dealt with according to this Law, even if he has already been tried in a foreign country.
However, if he has already received criminal punishment in the foreign country, he may be exempted from punishment or given a mitigated
punishment.

Article 11

The criminal responsibility of foreigners who enjoy diplomatic privileges and immunities shall be resolved through diplomatic channels.

Article 12

If an act committed after the founding of the People’s Republic of China and before the entry into force of this Law was not deemed
a crime under the laws in force at the time, those laws shall apply. If the act was deemed a crime under the laws in force at that
time and is subject to prosecution under the provisions of Section 8, Chapter IV of the General Provisions of this Law, criminal
responsibility shall be investigated according to those laws. However, if this Law does not deem it a crime or imposes a lighter
punishment, this Law shall apply.

The effective judgments made in accordance with the laws in force at that time before the entry into force of this Law, shall keep
their effectiveness.

Chapter II Crimes

Section 1 Crimes and Criminal Responsibility

Article 13

A crime refers to an act that endangers the sovereignty and territorial integrity and security of the state; dismembers the state
and subverts the political power of the people’s dictatorship and overthrows the socialist system; disrupts social order and economic
order; violates property owned by the state or collectively owned by the working people; violates the citizens’ privately owned property
or infringes upon the citizens’ rights of the person and their democratic and other rights; and any other act that endangers society
and is punishable according to law. However, an act that is clearly of minor importance and little harm shall not be considered a
crime.

Article 14

An intentional crime refers to a crime committed by a person who clearly knows that his act will produce socially dangerous consequences
but who wishes or allows such consequences to occur.

Criminal responsibility shall be borne for intentional crimes.

Article 15

A negligent crime refers to a crime committed by a person who should have foreseen that his act would possibly produce socially dangerous
consequences but who fails to do so through negligence or, having foreseen the consequences, readily believes that they can be avoided,
the result being that these consequences do occur.

Criminal responsibility shall be borne for negligent crimes only when the law so provides.

Article 16

If an act in fact results in harmful consequences due to unavoidable or unforeseeable causes rather than intent or negligence, it
shall not be a crime.

Article 17

Any person who has reached the age of 16 and who commits a crime shall bear criminal responsibility.

Any person who has reached the age of 14 but not the age of 16 and who commits homicide, intentionally injuring another person resulting
in serious bodily injury or death, rape, robbery, selling narcotic drugs, arson, causing explosion, or spreading poisons, shall bear
criminal responsibility.

Any person who has reached the age of 14 but not the age of 18 and who commits a crime shall be given a lighter or mitigated punishment.

If a person is not punished because he has not reached the age of 16, the head of his family or his guardian shall be ordered to discipline
and educate him. When necessary, he may also be taken in by the government for reeducation.

Article 18

If a mental patient causes dangerous consequences at a time when he is unable to recognize or control his own conduct, and such a
circumstance is confirmed by a forensic doctor, he shall not bear criminal responsibility, but his family members or guardian shall
be ordered to keep him under strict surveillance and arrange for his medical treatment. When necessary, he may also be arranged for
medical treatment under coercion by the government.

Any person whose mental illness is of an intermittent nature shall bear criminal responsibility if he commits a crime when he is in
a normal mental state.

Any mental patient who does not lose completely the ability to recognize or control his own conduct and commits a crime shall bear
criminal responsibility, but he may be given a lighter or mitigated punishment.

Any intoxicated person who commits a crime shall bear criminal responsibility.

Article 19

Any deaf-mute or blind person who commits a crime may be given a lighter or mitigated punishment or be exempted from punishment.

Article 20

Where a person conducts an act to stop an unlawful infringement in order to avert an immediate and unlawful infringement of the state’s
interest or of the public interest or of his own or another person’s rights of the person, or property rights, or other rights, resulting
in harm to the unlawful infringer, such an act shall be justifiable defence, and criminal responsibility shall not be borne for such
an act.

Criminal responsibility shall be borne if justifiable defence apparently exceeds the limits of necessity and causes serious harm;
however, a mitigated punishment or exemption from punishment shall be given.

Where a defence is conducted to an immediate violent crime of committing physical assault, committing homicide, robbery, rape, kidnapping,
and other crimes seriously endangering the security of a person, and it causes bodily injury or death to the unlawful infringer,
such an act shall not be defence that exceeds the limits of necessity, and criminal responsibility shall not be borne for such an
act.

Article 21

Criminal responsibility shall not be borne for an act that a person is compelled to commit in an emergency to avert an immediate danger
to the state’s interest or the public interest or to his own or another person’s rights of the person or property rights or other
rights, and that causes harm.

Criminal responsibility shall be borne if an act committed in an emergency to avert danger exceeds the limits of necessity and causes
undue harm; however, a mitigated punishment or exemption from punishment shall be given.

The provisions of the first paragraph of this Article with respect to averting danger to oneself shall not apply to a person who is
charged with specific responsibility in his post or profession.

Section 2 Preparation for a Crime, Criminal Attempt and Discontinuation of a Crime

Article 22

Preparation for a crime refers to the preparation of the instruments or the creation of the conditions for a crime.

An offender who prepares for a crime may, in comparison with one who completed the crime, be given a lighter or mitigated punishment
or be exempted from punishment.

Article 23

A criminal attempt refers to a case where an offender has already begun to commit a crime but is prevented from completing it for
reasons independent of his will.

An offender who attempts to commit a crime may, in comparison with one who completed the crime, be given a lighter or mitigated punishment.

Article 24

Discontinuation of a crime refers to cases where, in the process of committing a crime, the offender voluntarily quits continuing
the crime or voluntarily and effectively prevents the consequences of the crime from occurring.

Where an offender who discontinues a crime and causes no harm, exempted from punishment shall be given; where an offender causes harm,
a mitigated punishment shall be given.

Section 3 Joint Crimes

Article 25

A joint crime refers to an intentional crime committed by two or more persons jointly.

A negligent crime committed by two or more persons jointly shall not be punished as a joint crime; those who should bear criminal
responsibility shall be individually punished according to the crimes they have committed.

Article 26

A principal criminal refers to any person who organizes and leads a criminal group in carrying out criminal activities or plays a
principal role in a joint crime.

A criminal group refers to any relatively stable criminal organization which is composed of more than three persons for the purpose
of committing a crime jointly.

A ringleader who organizes and leads a criminal group shall be given a punishment according to all the crimes the group has committed.

A principal criminal unless otherwise stipulated in the third paragraph shall be given a punishment according to all the crimes that
he participates in or organizes or commands.

Article 27

An accomplice refers to any person who plays a secondary or auxiliary role in a joint crime.

An accomplice shall be given a lighter or mitigated punishment or be exempted from punishment.

Article 28

A person who is compelled to participate in a crime shall, according to the circumstances of his crime, be given a mitigated punishment
or be exempted from punishment.

Article 29

A person who instigates others to commit a crime shall be punished according to the role he has played in the joint crime. Anyone
who instigates a person under the age of 18 to commit a crime shall be given a heavier punishment.

If the instigated person has not committed the instigated crime, the instigator may be given a lighter or mitigated punishment.

Section 4 Crimes Committed by a Unit

Article 30

A company, enterprise, institution, organ, or public organization that conducts an act harmful to society, where such an act is stipulated
as a crime, shall bear criminal responsibility.

Article 31

A unit which commits a crime shall be punished with a fine, and the person(s) directly in charge and other person(s) directly involved
in the crime shall be given a punishment. Where Specific Provisions of this Law or other laws stipulate otherwise, such stipulation
shall be applied.

Chapter III Punishments

Section 1 Types of Punishments

Article 32

Punishments are divided into principal punishments and supplementary punishments.

Article 33

The principal punishments are as follows:

(1)

public surveillance;

(2)

criminal detention;

(3)

fixed-term imprisonment;

(4)

life imprisonment; and

(5)

the death penalty.

Article 34

The supplementary punishments are as follows:

(1)

fines;

(2)

deprivation of political rights; and

(3)

confiscation of property.

Supplementary punishments may be imposed independently.

Article 35

Deportation may be imposed independently or supplementarily to a foreigner who commits a crime.

Article 36

If a victim has suffered economic losses as a result of a crime, the criminal shall, in addition to receiving a criminal sanction
according to law, be sentenced to make compensation for the economic losses in the light of the circumstances.

If a criminal who bears civil responsibility and is punished with a fine in the meantime, has no enough property to pay off, or is
punished with confiscation of property, he shall first bear responsibility of civil compensation to the victim.

Article 37

If the circumstances of a person’s crime are minor and do not require punishment, he may be exempted from criminal sanctions; however,
he may, according to the different circumstances of each case, be reprimanded or ordered to make a statement of repentance, offer
an apology, pay compensation for the losses or be subject to administrative punishment or administrative sanctions by the competent
department.

Section 2 Public Surveillance(*1)

Article 38

The term of public surveillance shall not be less than three months and not more than two years.

Where a criminal is sentenced to public surveillance, his sentence shall be executed by a public security organ.

Article 39

A criminal who is sentenced to public surveillance must observe the following rules during the term in which his sentence is being
executed:

(1)

observe laws and administrative regulations, submit to supervision;

(2)

forbidden to exercise the rights of freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, of association, of procession and of demonstration
without approval of the public organ;

(3)

report on his own activities according to the demand of the organ executing the public surveillance;

(4)

observe the stipulation on meeting with guests by the organ executing the public surveillance; and

(5)

report and obtain approval from the organ executing public surveillance for departure from the county or city where he lives or change
in residence.

Criminals sentenced to public surveillance shall, while engaged in labour, receive equal pay for equal work.

Article 40

Upon the expiration of a term of public surveillance, the executing organ shall immediately announce the termination of public surveillance
to the criminal sentenced to public surveillance and to his unit or the masses of the place of his residence.

Article 41

A term of public surveillance shall be counted from the date the judgment begins to be executed; if the criminal is held in custody
before the execution of the judgment, each day spent in custody shall be considered as two days of the term sentenced.

Section 3 Criminal Detention

Article 42

A term of criminal detention shall not be less than 1 months and not more than 6 months.

Article 43

Where a criminal is sentenced to criminal detention, his sentence shall be executed by the public security organ in the vicinity.

During the period of execution, a criminal sentenced to criminal detention may go home for one to two days each month; an appropriate
remuneration may be given to those who participate in labour.

Article 44

A term of criminal detention shall be counted from the date the judgment begins to be executed; if the criminal is held in custody
before the execution of the judgment, each day in custody shall be considered as one day of the term sentenced.

Section 4 Fixed-Term Imprisonment and Life Imprisonment

Article 45

A term of fixed-term imprisonment, unless otherwise stipulated in Article 50 and Article 69 , shall not be less than 6 months and
not more than 15 years.

Article 46

A criminal sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment or life imprisonment shall serve his sentence in prison or another place for execution.
Anyone who is able to work shall participate in labour, and accepts education and reform.

Article 47

A term of fixed-term imprisonment shall be counted from the date the judgment begins to be executed; if the criminal is held in custody
before the execution of the judgment, each day in custody shall be considered as one day of the term sentenced.

Section 5 The Death Penalty

Article 48

The death penalty shall only be applied to criminals who have committed the most heinous crimes. If the immediate execution of a criminal
punishable by death is not deemed necessary, a two-year suspension of execution may be pronounced simultaneously with the imposition
of the death sentence.

All death sentences except for those that according to law should be decided by the Supreme People’s Court, shall be submitted to
the Supreme People’s Court for approval. Death sentences with a suspension of execution may be decided or approved by a higher people’s
court.

Article 49

The death penalty shall not be imposed on persons who had not reached the age of 18 at the time the crime was committed or to women
who are pregnant at the time of trial.

Article 50

If a person sentenced to death with a suspension of execution does not commit an intentional crime during the period of suspension,
his punishment shall be commuted to life imprisonment upon the expiration of that two-year period; if he performs great meritorious
service, his punishment shall be commuted to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than 15 years and not more than 20 years upon the
expiration of that two-year period; if it is verified that be has committed an intentional crime, the death penalty shall be executed
upon the approval of the Supreme People’s Court.

Article 51

The term of suspension of execution of a death penalty shall be counted from the date the judgment becomes final. The term of a fixed-term
imprisonment that is commuted from a death penalty with suspension of execution shall be counted from the date of expiration of the
term of suspension of execution of a death.

Section 6 Fines

Article 52

The amount of any fine imposed shall be determined according to the circumstances of the crime.

Article 53

A fine may be paid in a lump sum or in installments within the time limit specified in the judgment. If a fine is not paid upon the
expiration of that time limit, the payment shall be compelled. If a person is unable to pay all the fine, a people’s court shall,
when it finds that the person subjected to execution has any other property, pursue the payment at any time. If a person has true
difficulties in paying because of an unavoidable disaster, the fine may be reduced or remitted according to the circumstances.

Section 7 Deprivation of Political Rights

Article 54

Deprivation of political rights refers to deprivation of the following rights:

(1)

the right to vote and to stand for election;

(2)

the rights of freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, of association, of procession, and of demonstration;

(3)

the right to hold a position in a state organ; and

(4)

the right to hold a leading position in any state-owned company or enterprise, institution or people’s organization.

Article 55

A term of deprivation of political rights shall not be less than one year and not more than five years, except as stipulated in Article
57 of this Law.

If a person sentenced to public surveillance is deprived of political rights as a supplementary punishment, the term of deprivation
of political rights shall be the same as the term of public surveillance, and the punishments shall be executed simultaneously.

Article 56

Criminals who commit crimes of endangering the state security shall be sentenced to deprivation of political rights as a supplementary
punishment; Criminals who commit crimes of intentional homicide, rape, arson, causing explosion, spreading poisons, robbery and other
crimes which seriously undermine public order may also be sentenced to deprivation of political rights as a supplementary punishment.

If deprivation of political rights is imposed independently, stipulation of the Specific Provisions of this Law shall be applied.

Article 57

Criminals who are sentenced to death or to life imprisonment shall be deprived of political rights for life.

If a death penalty with a suspension of execution is commuted to a fixed-term imprisonment, or a life imprisonment is commuted to
a fixed-term imprisonment, the term of the supplementary punishment of deprivation of political rights shall be changed to not less
than three years and not more than ten years.

Article 58

A term of deprivation of political rights as a supplementary punishment shall be counted from the date on which imprisonment or criminal
detention ends or from the date on which parole begins. Deprivation of political rights shall of course be in effect during the period
in which the principal punishment is being executed.

Criminals who are sentenced to deprivation of political rights shall observe laws and administrative regulations and relevant stipulations
on supervision and administration promulgated by the Department of Public Security under the State Council, submit to supervision;
and shall not exercise the rights of freedom stipulated in Article 54 of this Law.

Section 8 Confiscation of Property

Article 59

Confiscation of property refers to the confiscation of part or all of the property personally owned by a criminal. When all of the
property of a criminal is confiscated, necessaries of life for the criminal and his dependent family members shall be left out.

When a sentence of confiscation of property is imposed, property that the criminal’s family members own or should own shall not be
subject to confiscation.

Article 60

If it is necessary to use a confiscated property to repay legitimate debts that the criminal incurred before his property is confiscated,
such debts shall be paid at the request of the creditors.

Chapter IV The Concrete Application of Punishments

Section 1 Sentencing

Article 61

When sentencing a criminal, a punishment shall be imposed based on the facts, nature and circumstances of the crime, the degree of
harm done to society and the relevant provisions of this Law.

Article 62

In cases where the circumstances of a crime call for a heavier or a lighter punishment under the provisions of this Law, the criminal
shall be sentenced to a punishment within the limits of the prescribed punishment.

Article 63

In cases where the circumstances of a crime call for a mitigated punishment under the provisions of this Law, the criminal shall be
sentenced to a punishment less than the prescribed punishment.

Even if the circumstances of a crime do not warrant a mitigated punishment under the provisions of this Law, the criminal may, upon
approval of the Supreme People’s Court, be sentenced to a punishment less than the prescribed punishment according to the special
particulars of the case.

Article 64

All property illegally obtained by a criminal shall be recovered, or compensation shall be ordered. Legal property of the victim shall
be returned. Contrabands and possessions of the criminal that were used in the crime shall be confiscated. The property confiscated
and fine shall be turned over to the State Treasury, and shall not be misappropriated or disposed without authorization.

Section 2 Recidivists

Article 65

If a criminal commits another crime punishable by fixed-term imprisonment or heavier penalty within five years after serving his sentence
of not less than fixed-term imprisonment or receiving a pardon, he is a recidivist and shall be given a heavier punishment. However,
this shall not apply to cases of negligent crime.

For criminals who are paroled, the period stipulated in the preceding paragraph shall be counted from the date the parole expires.

Article 66

A criminal who has committed a crime of endangering the state’s security at any time after serving his sentence or receiving a pardon
shall, if he commits another crime of endangering the state’s security, be dealt with as a recidivist.

Section 3 Voluntary Surrender and Rendering Meritorious Service

Article 67

Voluntary Surrender refers to the case that anyone who voluntarily surrenders himself to a judicial organ after committing a crime,
and truthfully confesses his crime. A criminal who conducts voluntary surrender may be given a lighter or mitigated punishment. Those
whose crimes are relatively minor may be exempted from punishment.

If a suspected criminal or defendant under compulsory measure or criminal who serves a sentence truthfully confesses his other crimes
that is unknown to a judicial organ, he shall be dealt with as voluntary surrender.

Article 68

A criminal who is verified that he discloses another person’s crime, or provides key clues that lead to solve another case or renders
other meritorious service may be given a lighter or mitigated punishment. Those who renders great meritorious service may be given
a mitigated punishment or be exempted from punishment.

Those who not only conducts voluntary surrender but also renders great meritorious service shall be given a lighter punishment or
be exempted from punishment.

Section 4 Combined Punishment for Several Crimes

Article 69

For a criminal who commits several crimes before a judgment is pronounced, unless he is sentenced to death or life imprisonment, his
term of punishment shall be decided in such a way that it may not exceed the total of the terms for all the crimes and must be longer
than the maximum term for any one of the crimes, depending on the circumstances of each case. However, the term of public surveillance
may not exceed three years, the term of criminal detention may not exceed one year, and fixed-term imprisonment may not exceed twenty
years.

If among the crimes there are any for which a supplementary punishment is imposed, the supplementary punishment must still be executed.

Article 70

If after a judgment has been pronounced but before the punishment has been completely executed it is discovered that b

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