Update: Chinese prosecutors warn of rising online crimes targeting minors

BEIJING, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Online crimes committed by adults against minors are on the rise in China, prompting calls for stronger safeguards and stricter enforcement, according to a white paper released by the country's top procuratorate.

More adults are using telecommunications and online platforms to cause harm to minors, said the white paper released Monday by the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP). In 2024, prosecutors across China filed charges against 3,347 individuals for such crimes -- a 14.1 percent increase from the previous year.

These offenses accounted for 7.3 percent of all adult-perpetrated crimes against minors in 2024, up from 6.9 percent in 2023, the white paper notes.

As underscored in the white paper, Chinese prosecutors have worked closely with cyberspace regulators and police to address crimes that target minors such as cyberbullying and online sexual harassment. Efforts have also been intensified to punish those exploiting minors in telecom and internet-based fraud schemes.

Authorities have expanded legal protections for minors, the white paper says. That includes providing legal consultations, pressuring guardians to fulfill their responsibilities, and offering civil litigation support to help minors defend their rights.

The white paper calls for broader efforts to improve the overall digital environment for young people. Prosecutors have assisted in enforcing national regulations on the protection of minors and have pushed internet platforms to take more responsibility.

In Shanghai, for example, prosecutors have teamed up with the internet, police and cultural authorities to launch a coordinated cleanup campaign. Over the past three years, the initiative has removed nearly 6 million pieces of harmful or illegal content related to minors and introduced local and industry standards to improve online safety.

The white paper also reveals an increase in overall crimes against minors. In 2024, prosecutors approved more than 57,000 arrests -- up 7.3 percent from the previous year -- and filed charges against over 74,000 individuals, an 11 percent year-on-year rise.

Cases of rape, molest, robbery, picking quarrels and provoking troubles, as well as forced sexual abuse and humiliation accounted for 67 percent of all prosecutions involving crimes against minors, according to the white paper.

The SPP emphasized its collaboration with the Supreme People's Court and the Ministry of Public Security in tackling sexual crimes against children and offenses like organizing adolescents to engage in illegal paid companionship in entertainment venues. In 2024 alone, more than 45,000 people were prosecuted for sexually abusing minors.

To ensure consistency in handling sensitive cases, the three institutions also jointly launched training programs focused on criminal cases involving women and children.

JUVENILE DELINQUENCY

While the number of juvenile suspects submitted for arrest review fell in 2024, both arrests and prosecutions of minors increased, according to the white paper.

Among those aged 14 to 16, prosecutors handled more than 9,300 cases last year, a 7.4 percent decrease from 2023.

Five offenses -- theft, fraud, group fighting, rape, and robbery -- accounted for 69.4 percent of all juvenile prosecutions last year, the white paper notes.

Notably, the SPP approved prosecution for 34 minors involved in serious violent crimes.

Citing several high-profile cases that drew widespread attention, the SPP reaffirms that minors who commit crimes with malicious intent or particularly cruel methods will face appropriate legal consequences, with no tolerance for leniency.

Commenting on the rise in juvenile rape cases, Zhong Hua, a sociology professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said the trend may be partly linked to earlier sexual development and adolescent curiosity.

Zhong also noted the possibility that more victims are coming forward due to improved sex education, legal awareness, and stricter enforcement.

Meanwhile, conditional non-prosecution -- a measure giving minor offenders a second chance rather than immediate punishment under certain conditions -- was applied to nearly 21,000 juvenile suspects in 2024, accounting for 21.5 percent of all juvenile cases, according to the white paper.

Before granting this status, prosecutors consulted the police and victims, educated the eligible offenders and monitored compliance during their probation period.

However, prosecutors revoked conditional non-prosecution for 1,104 repeat offenders with a history of previously uncharged crimes or repeated violation of supervisory conditions.

In the white paper, the SPP pledged to safeguard the healthy development of minors with enhanced judicial protection. "Procuratorates across the country will make sustained efforts to prevent and control juvenile delinquency, alongside rigorous enforcement against crimes targeting minors in accordance with the law," the SPP noted. ■