China's crime rates decline as food safety violations rise

China has experienced a decline in crime over the past nine months, the country's top court announced on Sunday.

From January to September, courts handled over 1.12 million criminal cases, marking a 5.64 percent decrease compared to the same period last year, according to data from the Supreme People's Court. Among these, 727,300 were first-instance criminal cases, with 955,700 defendants sentenced, reflecting decreases of 10.03% and 10.18%, respectively, from 2025 figures.

In the first three quarters of this year, courts managed 13,069 first-instance cases related to drug-related crimes, including smuggling, trafficking, transporting, and manufacturing, a 12.14 percent drop year-on-year. These statistics underscore the judiciary's commitment to national security, balancing punishment with governance to uphold social stability and public welfare, the top court emphasized.

However, cases involving food safety violations have increased. From January to September, 791 first-instance cases concerning the production and sale of unsafe food were heard, an 18.24 percent rise from last year. The top court noted that illegal food safety activities online have disrupted the market economy and posed risks to public safety and health, drawing public concern.

In response, the top court, along with the Supreme People's Procuratorate, released landmark cases earlier this year to guide judges in intensifying efforts against food safety crimes in cyberspace, aiming to clean up the online food market and enhance food safety protections.

During the same period, Chinese courts also dealt with 20.95 million civil lawsuits, a slight decline of 0.94 percent year-on-year. Additionally, 632,400 administrative disputes were resolved, representing a 10.05 percent increase from the previous year, according to the data.