'Zero tolerance' for child abuse

The Supreme People's Court has vowed "zero tolerance" of crimes that affect the rights of children, highlighting sexual abuse and corporal punishment.

Ahead of Saturday's International Children's Day, the SPC yesterday ordered lower courts to impose harsher punishments on such crimes and to stick to the principle of "minimum tolerance and maximum protection."

A statement issued by the court quoted an unnamed official as saying: "Criminal cases involving child molestation, corporal punishment and abuse of minors have been occurring frequently in China recently."

The SPC published details of three "guiding" cases for judges' reference when handling child molestation and other cases relating to infringement of minors' rights.

One involves a village primary school teacher surnamed Bao who molested seven school girls and raped six of them scores of times over a two-year period before he was reported to police in September 2011. Bao also took nude photos and videos of the female students.