China
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- communist state
- CONSTITUTION
- December 4, 1982, amended several times, last in 2004.
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- based on civil law, of Soviet derivation and derived from the legal principles of the continental civil code
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- unicameral, National People's Congress (Quanguo Renmin Daibiao Dahui)
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- Supreme People's Court, judges appointed by the National People's Congress; local people's courts and special people's courts
RELIGIONS
Buddhists 18.2%, Christians 5.1%, Muslims 1.8%, others 0.7%, unspecified 52.2%
From the country
- MAY 30, 2006ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA. MIGRANT WORKER TO BE EXECUTED FOR KILLING RICH SHOPPERS
Ai Xuqiang, a migrant Chinese worker who stabbed a taxi driver, stole his cab and mowed down two shoppers in an upmarket area because he resented their wealth was sentenced to death by the Beijing Municipal No. 2 Intermediate People's Court.
- MAY 26, 2006ChinaDEATH PENALTY
EUROPEAN UNION. EU PRESSES CHINA ON TORTURE, DEATH PENALTY
the European Union pressed China about its use of torture and the death penalty as EU and Chinese officials wrapped up two days of meetings on human rights issues.
MAY 25, 2006ChinaDEATH PENALTYCANADA. PRIME MINISTER 'INSISTS' CHINESE FUGITIVE SHOULD NOT FACE DEATH PENALTY
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said he will "insist" that fugitive Lai Changxing should not face the death penalty if returned to China, a sanction Beijing had declined to rule out.
- MAY 24, 2006ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA. MAN EXECUTED IN GUANGDONG FOR MURDER
gang member Zhou, 33, Yanfan in Chaozhou in China’s Guangdong Province, was convicted of murder and possessing two handguns. In 1995, Zhou reportedly joined a gang led by Zheng Huang, who later died in a fight.
- MAY 24, 2006ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA. 2 OFFICERS, BUSINESSMAN GET DEATH FOR MURDER
two police officers from Fuzhou in China’s Fujian Province were sentenced to death together with businessman Xu Chengping for killing Xu’s business rival.
- MAY 23, 2006ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA. MAN EXECUTED FOR CHILD KILLINGS
convicted paedophile Chen Qiangsheng, 35, was executed in Huanggang in China’s Hubei Province for kidnapping six boys in 2005 and killing four of them.
MAY 23, 2006ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA. VIDEO RECORDING TO BE USED IN DEATH SENTENCE CASES
China's courts will allow video cameras to record proceedings of appeal hearings involving death sentences, said Chief Justice Xiao Yang.
- MAY 19, 2006RussiaDEATH PENALTY
RUSSIA. MOSCOW TO SEEK RETURN OF DRUG DEALERS FACING EXECUTION IN CHINA
Russian parliamentarians will make every effort to achieve the return of two Russians arrested for drug dealing in China so they avoid the death penalty, said Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of the State Duma's international affairs committee.
- MAY 18, 2006ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA. THREE PEOPLE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR ELECTION MURDERS
Hu Jialong, Chen Riwen and Chen Dedao were sentenced to death by the Wenzhou Intermediate People's Court, China, after convicting them of killing a candidate supporter in a local election.
- MAY 17, 2006ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA. DOORMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING
the Shanghai No. 1 Intermediate People's Court sentenced nightclub bouncer Liu Zhenli to death for manslaughter for ordering an attack that killed one man.
- MAY 16, 2006ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA. 4 MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
a multimillionaire and three contract killers were sentenced to death in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, for killing a business rival and injuring two others. Another 11 accomplices received jail terms up to life imprisonment.
- MAY 13, 2006ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA. FARMER GETS DEATH PENALTY FOR KILLING SCHOOL HEADMASTER
a farmer from East China's Zhejiang Province was sentenced to death for murdering the headmaster of his son's school in a dispute over the boy's behavior and punishment.