China rectifies 66,000 improper enterprise-related law enforcement cases

China has corrected more than 66,000 cases involving improper administrative law enforcement against enterprises since a nationwide campaign began in March last year, helping companies recover 30.7 billion yuan ($4.51 billion) in losses, a senior official said on Thursday.

More than 100,000 practical matters have also been handled for enterprises, Hu Weilie, vice-minister of justice, said at a news conference held by the State Council Information Office.

The campaign targets prominent problems in enterprise-related administrative law enforcement, including excessive inspections, arbitrary fines and fees, improper asset seizures, irregular cross-regional enforcement and profit-driven enforcement.

Hu said administrative inspections fell 34 percent year-on-year, while the average rate of problems identified during inspections rose by nearly 19 percentage points, as local authorities promoted joint inspections, classified inspections and QR-code-based entry registration before law enforcement officers enter enterprises.

Authorities also removed improper assessment indicators linked to revenue from fines and confiscations, leading to a notable nationwide decline in such revenue. More than 5,900 cases involving irregular charges were investigated, with more than 1.3 billion yuan returned to enterprises. More than 440 cases involving improper sealing or seizure were corrected, releasing nearly 2 billion yuan in funds.

More than 600 irregular cross-regional enforcement cases were reviewed, and local governments introduced more than 610 coordination mechanisms for cross-regional enforcement.

The ministry also issued a code of conduct for administrative law enforcement personnel. More than 7,000 law enforcement bodies that failed to meet legal requirements were removed, more than 300,000 unqualified personnel were reassigned or dismissed, and more than 400,000 unnecessary enforcement items were eliminated.

Hu said the campaign emphasizes lawful, proportionate and standardized enforcement. Strict standards must be upheld in key areas related to public health and safety, including food and drug safety, workplace safety and environmental protection, he said.

During the campaign, authorities handled more than 1,700 cases involving failure to perform law enforcement duties. At the same time, local authorities applied policies such as exempting first-time or minor violations from penalties in accordance with the law, waiving more than 11 billion yuan in fines for enterprises.

To strengthen long-term oversight, China has introduced regulations on administrative law enforcement supervision and improved related mechanisms, Hu said.

The ministry has also promoted more targeted enterprise-related inspections, including the nationwide use of QR-code-based entry registration. The system standardizes inspection codes, procedures and content, reducing burdens on both enterprises and law enforcement officers.

To address inconsistent enforcement standards, the ministry worked with other authorities to issue guidance on practical issues, such as whether restaurants must install rat guards in kitchens and whether factories should keep windows open or closed during production.

Hu said the campaign shows that effective regulation depends not on the number of inspections, but on their quality and precision.

As deeper problems emerged, the ministry and relevant law enforcement departments launched pilot programs in eight regions to further improve the standardization and precision of administrative inspections.