law & justice

law-&-justice

Revised Law Sparks Debate in China Over Petty Offense Privacy

Timely reports on issues and events from across China. Drawing on a vast range of sources, these succinct articles provide insights into the significance of each issue in a wider context.

NEWS

As part of a law amended earlier this year, China will now mandate the confidentiality of “administrative violations” relating to drug use, prostitution, and gambling, except in select situations.

Fan Yiying

From “Wet Bodies” to Moaning: China Curbs Raunchy Livestreams

The country’s top regulator has banned three categories of sexually suggestive content in group livestreams, making “vulgar” behavior used to solicit money and gifts illegal.

He Qitong

China Establishes New Legal Precedents on Domestic Violence

As 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the nation’s highest judicial authority has publicly released eight “guiding cases” to redefine domestic violence law.

Livestream Law: Why China’s Lawyers Are Taking Their Practice Online

From divorce battles to labor disputes, real-time legal advice is drawing huge audiences and reshaping how China’s young lawyers grow both their careers and their client bases.

Li Xin

Life After Death: A Widow’s Fight for Her IVF Baby

Translations, cross-publications, and collaborative projects from Sixth Tone’s external partners. 

SIXTH TONE ×

After losing her husband in a work accident, a woman in eastern China wins a landmark battle to use their frozen embryos and receive financial aid.

China  Youth Daily

The Chinese College Student Who Took on Annoying Elevator Ads

A college junior in Shanghai used a “universal key” to shut down elevator ad screens to protest their intrusive noise, going viral online after netizens applauded the move.

Chen Yiru

Audrey Hepburn’s Son Wins Lawsuit Against Chinese Restaurant

A Chinese court has ruled that a Suzhou-based Audrey Hepburn-themed chain violated personality rights by using the late actress’s image and name on signage, in restaurants, and on promotional materials without the consent of the actress’s family.

Raped by Her Boss, Then Fired: A Survivor’s Fight for Justice

After a landmark work-related injury ruling, a woman assaulted during a business trip has faced a lengthy legal battle to win compensation.

The Paper

On the Pot: Chinese Teens Who Urinated in Hotpot Ordered to Pay 2 Million Yuan

In March, a court ruled that the two teens who drunkenly urinated into a Haidilao hotpot must apologize and pay for their actions. On Thursday, the judgment went into effect.

Shanghai Court Fines Game Boosting Studio, Setting Precedent 

The court’s ruling comes amidst the rise of in-game performance-enhancing methods in China, setting the stage for greater regulation of ethical practices in the gaming industry and among players.

‘It was a Trap’: In China, Non-Competes Leave Workers in Limbo

Articles that cut to the core of contemporary China. In-depth, informed, and carefully crafted, every piece is carried by the voices of the story’s participants.

FEATURES

Though intended to protect trade secrets, non-compete agreements are being forced on even low-level employees, stifling job mobility and career growth, experts say.

Skip Social Insurance, Pay Severance: China’s Top Court Tells Employers

The Supreme People’s Court ruling aims to strengthen labor rights, with workers entitled to compensation if insurance isn’t paid.

Jiang Xinyi

Chinese Women, Children Targeted in Cross-Border Voyeurism Ring

The open Telegram group, which had over 100,000 members and has since gone private, was used to exchange covert footage of women and children as well as their contact details.

Death, Bans, and Fines: China’s Top AI-Generated Fake News Stories

In an effort to quash the spread of AI-generated disinformation, China’s top internet authority highlighted several viral fake news stories from recent years.

Ding Rui

China Enacts Landmark Law to Safeguard Rural Women’s Land Rights

Effective May 1, the new national law gives married women equal standing in rural land rights and empowers prosecutors to challenge discriminatory village rules.

China’s Top Court Eases Burden on Schools Over Student Injuries

The ruling reduces legal risk for schools while reaffirming their duties in supervision, safety education, and preventing bullying.

Scroll, Sell, Evade: China Recovers Millions in Taxes From Streamers

Authorities audited 169 influencers this year, exposing shell companies, hidden income, and loopholes in China’s booming livestream economy.

How Protection Orders Became a Thorny Legal Issue in China

Contributions from individuals with unique perspectives to share. Hear from everyone, from experts and commentators to those whose voices are often marginalized.

VOICES & OPINION

A decade after the passage of a landmark Anti-Domestic Violence Law, Chinese judges remain divided about how best to protect survivors of abuse.

He  Xin

She Posted Her Father’s Death. Now China Probes a Murder at Sea.

The suspect, a crew member her father had helped hire, is in custody as the vessel returns to China for investigation.

Married Chinese Women Are Buying Their Own Homes. Why?

In search of security, women and their families are increasingly buying homes for themselves before or during marriage.