The number of children and women abductions and human trafficking crimes in China has shown a significant decline, with a 77.95 percent drop in 2025 compared to the peak in 2012, the Supreme People's Court (SPC) said on Thursday.
This indicates that such crimes have been effectively curbed, the court said.
Over the years, Chinese courts have implemented strict measures against trafficking, the SPC noted. In addition to cracking down on the offenders directly involved in trafficking, courts also punish those who "purchase" trafficked women and children, aiming to curb the demand that drives these crimes.
Those who, after "purchasing" the victims, commit additional crimes such as rape, intentional injury, illegal detention, or abuse, also face relevant penalties under the law.
Authorities have also focused on addressing illegal activities related to the falsification or unlawful issuance of birth certificates, marriage certificates, household registration documents, and other materials tied to human trafficking or "transactions," the SPC added.
The court also on Thursday published four typical cases of relevant crimes Chinese courts have handled, among which one of the convicts was sentenced to death and executed for children abduction. In another case, the convict was sentenced to life in prison for raping and trafficking of women.
Abduction and human trafficking have long been among the most reviled crimes in Chinese society.
In a high-profile case, Yu Huaying, a woman convicted of abducting and trafficking 17 children over two decades ago, was sentenced to death in 2024 and executed in 2025.
One of the victims, Yang Niuhua, who was abducted by Yu at the age of five, found her biological family through DNA testing at the age of 31, more than 20 years after her abduction. However, by then, both of her parents had passed away, and she was unable to reunite with her long-lost family.
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