China ramps up crackdown on gambling, privacy violations, court data shows

Chinese courts have ramped up efforts to combat crimes, particularly those involving privacy violations and gambling, over the past nine months, as part of a broader initiative to safeguard national security and maintain social stability.

Data released Wednesday by the Supreme People's Court, China's top court, revealed that from January to September, courts across the country heard around 27,000 criminal cases related to operating gambling houses, a 10.65 percent increase year-on-year. The rise highlights the country's determination to tackle cross-border gambling.

During the same period, courts also intensified punishments for privacy violations. Cases involving the illegal production or sale of spy, wiretapping, and hidden camera equipment surged by 436.36 percent compared to the previous year, according to the court's data.

On the civil side, mediation efforts have also expanded. About 36,000 mediation organizations and 84,000 mediators helped resolve disputes over the past nine months, an increase of roughly 16 percent and 24 percent, respectively. More than 1.16 million civil lawsuits were resolved through mediation before reaching litigation, the data showed.