Draft aims to strengthen protection for minors

A draft amendment to the Law on Penalties for Administration of Public Security is expected to strengthen protections for minors and bolster efforts to prevent juvenile delinquency, an official from the country's top legislature said on Monday.

Huang Haihua, spokesperson for the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, revealed the proposed revisions are in response to a notable increase in offenses committed by minors in recent years. The amendments aim to better integrate education with appropriate punishment, he said at a news conference.

The draft will be submitted for a third reading during the upcoming session of the NPC Standing Committee, scheduled from Tuesday to Friday in Beijing.

Under the current law, children ages 14 to 16 — as well as those 16 to 18 who commit an offense for the first time — are exempt from administrative detention. However, Huang noted that some juveniles have intentionally exploited this legal protection to repeatedly break the law, showing little remorse or behavioral improvement even after receiving educational measures. In some cases, they committed serious offenses that triggered widespread public concern and complaints.

To address these issues, the draft revision of the law proposes that minors in these age groups can face administrative detention if their violations are severe, even on a first offense. Additionally, 14- to 16-year-olds who commit more than two offenses within one year would also be subject to administrative detention.

In a broader effort to safeguard minors and create a healthier environment for their development, the draft seeks to punish those who organize or coerce them into paid companionship activities, such as drinking or singing in bars and karaoke venues. It also highlights the importance of tackling school bullying, requiring public security agencies to impose penalties and mandate corrective action when such behavior is identified.

Another proposed change would allow police to notify a minor's adult relatives or school representatives to attend interrogations if the juvenile's guardians cannot be present — an effort to ensure such suspects are properly accompanied during legal procedures.

"These revisions aim to provide stronger protection for minors while taking more effective steps to prevent serious juvenile crimes," Huang said.

He added that lawmakers will also deliberate draft revisions to several other laws during the upcoming legislative session, including the Law Against Unfair Competition, the Maritime Law, the Fisheries Law, the Civil Aviation Law, and the Food Safety Law.

Draft laws on social assistance and medical insurance are also on the agenda issued during a previous meeting of the Council of Chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee.