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
- JUNE 25, 2024ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA THREATENS DEATH PENALTY FOR 'DIEHARD' TAIWAN SEPARATISTS
China on June 21, 2024 threatened to impose the death penalty in extreme cases for "diehard" Taiwan independence separatists, a ratcheting up of pressure even though Chinese courts have no jurisdiction on the democratically governed island.
MAY 29, 2024ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: FORMER CHINA HUARONG INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LIMITED GENERAL MANAGER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TAKING BRIBES
Bai Tianhui, former general manager of China Huarong International Holdings Limited, was sentenced to death for taking huge amounts of bribes by a court in Tianjin on May 28, 2024.
MAY 13, 2024ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: FORMER POLITICAL ADVISOR GIVEN DEATH SENTENCE WITH REPRIEVE
Sun Yuanliang, a former senior political advisor of northeast China's Liaoning Province, was sentenced to death, with a two-year reprieve, for bribery on May 9, 2024.
APRIL 30, 2024ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: MAN WHO FATALLY STABBED WIFE DURING DIVORCE COOLING-OFF SENTENCED TO DEATH
A man who killed his wife during their divorce cooling-off period was given a death penalty in the first trial by a court in Guangzhou, South China’s Guangdong Province on April 25, 2024.
- APRIL 17, 2024ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA INDICATES MAN EXECUTED FOR SPYING HAD SOLD SECRETS TO US
China indicated for the first time on April 15, 2024 that a man executed for spying in 2016 had sold secrets to the United States.
- FEBRUARY 21, 2024ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: MAN EXECUTED FOR ROBBERY AND DESECRATING VICTIM'S CORPSE
A man convicted of robbing a woman, murdering her, and desecrating her body has been executed, Beijing Youth Daily reported on February 19, 2024.
- FEBRUARY 12, 2024ChinaDEATH PENALTY
FORMER HEAD OF CHINA MERCHANTS BANK GIVEN SUSPENDED DEATH SENTENCE FOR ACCEPTING BRIBES
Tian Huiyu, a former president of China Merchants Bank, has been sentenced to death, suspended for two years, for accepting bribes, abusing power, trading on the basis of undisclosed information, insider trading and leaking inside information.
- FEBRUARY 8, 2024ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: MAN WHO STABBED COLLEAGUE TO DEATH WHILE DRUNK EXECUTED
Zhang Keping, who stabbed a colleague to death while drunk in 2022, was executed on February 4, 2024 after China's top court approved his death sentence.
FEBRUARY 7, 2024ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: UNIVERSITY RESEARCHER SENTENCED TO DEATH WITH REPRIEVE OVER HOMICIDE
Jiang Wenhua, a former researcher at Fudan University, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve on February 1, 2024 for intentional homicide.
- FEBRUARY 5, 2024ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: AUSTRALIAN WRITER YANG HENGJUN SENTENCED TO DEATH ON SPY CHARGES
Australian writer Yang Hengjun, who was arrested in China on espionage charges in 2019, on February 5, 2024 was handed a suspended death sentence by a court in Beijing.
FEBRUARY 1, 2024ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: COUPLE EXECUTED FOR DOUBLE CHILD MURDER THAT SHOCKED NATION
China on January 31, 2024 executed a couple for throwing two young children out of the window of an apartment building, in a case that caused nationwide outrage.
- JANUARY 31, 2024ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: FORMER PEKING UNIVERSITY STUDENT WHO KILLED MOTHER EXECUTED
Wu Xieyu, a former Peking University student who killed his mother, was executed on January 31, 2024 after China's top court approved his death sentence.