博客

China’s Supreme People’s Court has introduced a groundbreaking judicial guideline establishing comprehensive protocols for civil cases involving minors, marking the nation’s first specialized framework in this legal domain. The directive fundamentally prioritizes children’s welfare throughout judicial proceedings, mandating courts to transcend traditional adjudicatory roles by implementing preventive measures, enforcement monitoring, and contemporary issue resolution.

Central to the guideline is the “best interests of the minor” doctrine, requiring judicial authorities to holistically evaluate children’s safety, emotional welfare, developmental needs, and privacy rights. Senior Judge Cai Jinfang of the Supreme People’s Court emphasized this approach necessitates “special, priority and comprehensive protection” through more humane and individualized proceedings. Practical applications include obligating courts to solicit opinions from capable children—including those under eight—in custody determinations, with Shanghai courts already pioneering collaborative assessments with social workers to discern children’s authentic preferences.

The framework institutes urgent protective mechanisms, compelling judicial responses within 72 hours (24 hours for critical emergencies) regarding domestic violence petitions. Beyond verdict delivery, courts are empowered to incorporate multidisciplinary expertise—including psychological professionals, social investigators, and community organizations—for family environment evaluations and therapeutic interventions. The guideline further mandates post-ruling follow-ups to monitor children’s living conditions and ensure continuous welfare protection.

Addressing modern societal challenges, the document establishes clearer parameters for adjudicating minors’ digital transactions—including in-game purchases and livestream tipping—based on developmental capacity assessments. It simultaneously strengthens oversight of guardians’ management of minors’ assets, particularly regarding inheritance renunciation decisions. Professor Lin Yanqin of Beijing Normal University notes these provisions fill critical gaps in evolving legal domains like property guardianship.

This judicial advancement aligns with China’s broader legal modernization efforts, including recent revisions to the Law on the Protection of Minors and Law on Preventing Juvenile Delinquency, plus the promulgation of the Family Education Promotion Law. The 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) outline further reinforces commitments to juvenile delinquency prevention and enhanced online protection for minors, signaling comprehensive policy integration for child welfare enhancement.

A nationwide crackdown on illicit practices in China’s aquatic markets is underway following a startling undercover investigation by China Central Television (CCTV). The two-month probe uncovered that live fish sold to consumers are being systematically sedated with unauthorized chemicals, including industrial alcohol and unregulated anesthetic compounds.

The investigation, conducted by CCTV’s financial news team, documented vendors across multiple provinces using substances marketed as “fish calming agents” containing eugenol as a primary ingredient. At a Chongqing market, reporters observed live fish arriving in a dormant state, lying motionless in water before reviving when oxygenated. Vendors uniformly described the fish as “sleeping,” while investigators witnessed workers adding unlabeled liquids to transport containers that instantly rendered active fish limp and still.

These sedative products lacked proper manufacturing information, licenses, or production dates. Vendors justified their use by claiming the practice prevented scale loss during transport and facilitated easier loading/unloading operations.

Medical experts warn that eugenol—a chemical component of certain essential oils with mild anesthetic properties—poses significant health risks when improperly used. Long-term or excessive exposure may cause liver and kidney damage, with pregnant women, children, and individuals taking anticoagulant medications being particularly vulnerable.

The regulatory gap surrounding these practices is concerning. China has not conducted safety evaluations for eugenol’s use on aquatic products, established dosage standards, or implemented residue limits. These substances remain absent from approved aquaculture lists and routine testing protocols.

In response to the findings, the State Administration for Market Regulation launched coordinated nationwide enforcement actions. Officials inspected 35 vendors, seizing 14 batches of additives including eugenol compounds, while collecting numerous samples of unidentified liquids, water, and fish for analysis. The operation also uncovered industrial alcohol being used to prepare anesthetic solutions.

The investigation reveals how banned substances like highly toxic malachite green (prohibited since 2002) have been replaced by new unregulated chemicals, creating ongoing challenges for food safety supervision and consumer protection in China’s food supply chain.