In a proactive step to strengthen child protection and build understanding of China’s legal system among young foreign residents, Beijing’s procuratorial organs have launched a targeted, interactive legal education program for international minor students. The pilot event, held Monday at the New Start Center operated by the Xicheng District People’s Procuratorate, brought together 18 international students from the International Department of Beijing Yu Cai School, who traveled from diverse home countries including Egypt, Thailand, Mongolia, Indonesia and Kazakhstan to experience legal education first-hand.
Designed specifically to educate youth on China’s laws and protections for minors, the New Start Center crafted a tailored agenda for this first-of-its-kind visit for international students. During the day’s activities, the participating students got a clear breakdown of the core responsibilities of Chinese public prosecutors, alongside practical guidance on personal safety for young people living and studying in China. In an open interactive session with Zhao Ying, a veteran prosecutor specializing in juvenile justice cases, students explored key provisions of Chinese law, ranging from the legal age of criminal responsibility to the country’s frameworks for addressing pervasive youth issues such as school bullying, child abuse and domestic violence.
Beyond classroom-style discussion, the event included hands-on experience with the center’s innovative welfare resources. Students had the opportunity to test the center’s psychological testing system, which uses biometric sensor technology attached to the ear to analyze breathing patterns and real-time physiological data, generating a visual readout of the user’s current emotional state, from relaxation to acute stress.
For many participants, the visit marked a transformative first insight into China’s legal system. Marwan Mazen, a 17-year-old Egyptian student who has studied in Beijing for several years, shared his enthusiasm after the event. “This activity was really meaningful for me. I learned about how China addresses bullying and got to understand the basics of Chinese law, and I realized just how closely legal education ties to our daily lives,” he said. “It protects us as students, helping us understand both our rights and our responsibilities. This is my first time having an experience like this at such an incredible facility, and it makes me feel really safe studying here knowing there is a strong legal system that protects everyone.”
Shou Yan, a teacher at Beijing Yu Cai School and a deputy to the Beijing People’s Congress, Beijing’s top legislative body, emphasized that inclusive legal education is a non-negotiable resource for all students studying in China, regardless of nationality. “Both Chinese and international students need to understand and abide by the laws of the country they live in,” she noted. She added that the program demonstrates the openness of China’s legal system and plays a critical role in supporting the safety and well-being of international students residing in Beijing, calling for similar initiatives to become a regular, integrated part of international school curricula.
Zhao Ying, the juvenile prosecutor leading the event, framed the visit as a meaningful innovation in public legal education for prosecutors. “By inviting international minor students to our youth center, we can give them a clear, tangible understanding of Chinese law, which helps them avoid accidental violations of the law and empowers them to leverage legal protections for their own safety,” she explained. “This initiative also highlights the strong collaborative partnership between educational institutions and legal authorities, and it gives foreign students a first-hand look at the fairness and compassion that are core to China’s juvenile justice system.”