China's intensified crime-fighting efforts lead to significant decrease in criminal cases

China has been intensifying its efforts to combat crime to ensure national security and social stability, resulting in a decrease in related cases in the first half of this year, according to an announcement by the country's top court on Thursday.

Between January and June, Chinese courts handled 471,000 first-instance criminal cases, marking an 11.18 percent decrease compared to the same period last year. During this time, about 634,400 defendants were sentenced, a reduction of 10.11 percent from the previous year, as reported by the Supreme People's Court.

For instance, courts across the nation dealt with 135 first-instance cases involving the crime of trafficking women and children, representing a 39.46 percent drop year-on-year. China remains committed to the criminal policy of balancing justice with mercy, imposing strict penalties on trafficking offenders, especially targeting leaders of trafficking rings and those committing severe offenses like forcibly taking children or sexually assaulting trafficked women, according to the top court.

While maintaining a strong stance against crime, Chinese courts have also placed greater emphasis on effectively addressing civil and business issues, as well as matters affecting people's livelihoods. In the first half of this year, first-instance cases related to corporations increased by 14.78 percent compared to the same period last year. Disputes concerning environmental and ecological protection rose by 4.22 percent year-on-year.

Additionally, courts have strengthened judicial protection of intellectual property rights in emerging sectors to support high-quality development. They handled 7,484 first-instance unfair competition disputes, an increase of 9.59 percent from the previous year.