Taihe Legal News, Issue 1223

Key Takeaways for This Issue

 

The National Administration of Financial Regulation has launched a public consultation on the draft amendment to the Insurance Law.

On September 4, the National Administration of Financial Regulation publicly sought comments on the “Draft Amendment to the Insurance Law of the People’s Republic of China,” introducing revisions in five key areas: strengthening穿透监管 of shareholders, improving the prudential regulatory framework, enhancing risk‑resolution mechanisms, bolstering protection for insurance consumers, and raising the cost of violations. The deadline for submitting feedback is October 3.

The State Council executive meeting outlined measures to boost investment promotion and approved a draft amendment to the Law on the Administration of Tax Collection.

On August 31, the State Council Executive Meeting reviewed measures to promote high-quality investment promotion and clarified the specific actions that governments are encouraged or prohibited from undertaking in this regard. The meeting also deliberated and approved in principle the Draft Amendment to the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Administration of Tax Collection, deciding to submit it to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress for consideration. In addition, the meeting reviewed and adopted the Draft Amendment to the Regulations for the Implementation of the Audit Law of the People’s Republic of China.

The Supreme People’s Procuratorate and the National Healthcare Security Administration have jointly released typical cases of crimes involving fraudulently obtaining medical insurance benefits.

On September 4, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate and the National Healthcare Security Administration jointly released six typical cases under the theme “Punishing Medical Insurance Fraud in Accordance with the Law to Safeguard the Security of the Medical Insurance Fund.” These cases involve fraud by staff at designated medical institutions, “re‑circulated drugs” used for fraudulent claims, professional fraudsters, and the fabrication of employment relationships to obtain maternity benefits, with the amounts involved ranging from over one million yuan to tens of millions of yuan.

Finance and Capital Markets

FINANCE & CAPITAL MARKETS

The National Administration of Financial Regulation has launched a public consultation on the draft amendment to the Insurance Law.

On September 4, the National Administration of Financial Regulation issued a notice soliciting public comments on the “Draft Amendment to the Insurance Law of the People’s Republic of China,” with a deadline for feedback set for October 3. This marks another comprehensive revision of the current Insurance Law—following its establishment of a core institutional framework in 2009 and two subsequent amendments in 2014 and 2015—aimed at implementing the spirit of the Central Financial Work Conference and the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council to strengthen financial rule of law. The draft amendment covers five key areas: first, enhancing穿透 (penetrative) supervision of shareholders by bringing insurers’ shareholders and ultimate controllers within the regulatory scope; second, refining prudential regulatory frameworks, strengthening requirements related to corporate governance, risk management, and internal controls, improving solvency regulation, reinforcing asset–liability management, and upgrading oversight of capital deployment; third, establishing a more robust risk‑resolution mechanism and refining rules for risk处置 and market exit; fourth, bolstering consumer protection by revising insurance contract provisions and further clarifying prohibitions on improper conduct by insurers; and fifth, raising the cost of violations by expanding the scope of legal liability and increasing penalty levels. Industry observers note that this revision elevates the focus of insurance‑sector regulation from micro‑level scrutiny of whether business practices comply with the law to a systemic assessment of an institution’s overall soundness, thereby providing a stronger legal foundation for the sector’s stable operation and high‑quality development.

The China Securities Regulatory Commission is seeking public comments on the Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Private Investment Fund Raising.

On September 4, the China Securities Regulatory Commission issued a notice soliciting public comments on the “Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Private Fund Raising (Draft for Comments),” with the deadline for feedback set for October 4. Drafted in accordance with the Securities Investment Fund Law of the People’s Republic of China and the Regulations on the Supervision and Administration of Private Equity Investment Funds, these measures represent a key component of implementing the State Council General Office’s Guiding Opinions on Strengthening Regulation, Preventing Risks, and Promoting the High-Quality Development of Private Equity Investment Funds, as well as of establishing a “1+N+X” regulatory framework for private funds. The Measures comprise seven chapters and forty-five articles, with key provisions including: clarifying the fundamental principle of “seller due diligence, buyer自负”; specifying fundraising methods; and refining rules governing prohibited conduct; improving criteria for determining eligible investors’ asset size, income levels, and investment experience, while strengthening requirements for look-through supervision; defining procedures for fund-raising, the content of fundraising documents, and relevant regulatory requirements, thereby reinforcing the obligations of private fund managers and sales institutions to conduct suitability assessments and disclose risks; enhancing mechanisms to safeguard the security of raised funds, setting forth requirements for dedicated fundraising settlement accounts and supervisory institutions, and bolstering managers’ internal control systems; and delineating supervisory and administrative responsibilities as well as legal liabilities. Notably, the Measures significantly raise the costs of non-compliance: violations such as failing to sign contracts as required or failing to establish and use dedicated fundraising accounts may incur fines of up to RMB 100,000; where financial stability is at stake and harmful consequences result, fines may reach up to RMB 200,000; and in cases of serious misconduct, market‑wide bans may be imposed, with suspected criminal offenses referred to the judicial authorities.

The National Administration of Financial Regulation is seeking public input on the Measures for the Administration of Information Disclosure by Banking and Insurance Institutions.

On September 4, the National Administration of Financial Regulation publicly sought comments on the “Administrative Measures for Information Disclosure by Banking and Insurance Institutions (Draft for Public Comment).” The measures incorporate, inherit, and consolidate the key provisions of previously issued disclosure regulations for banks, insurance companies, and trust institutions, thereby standardizing disclosure requirements and extending their scope to all types of banking and insurance institutions under the administration’s oversight. By integrating existing, relatively fragmented rules, the measures aim to enhance the ease of accessing and implementing these requirements. The measures strengthen information‑disclosure management, further regulating the disclosure practices of banking and insurance institutions. They mandate that institutions establish formal information‑disclosure management systems and hold directors, supervisors, and senior management accountable. The regulatory framework has also been refined, specifying supervisory tools such as regulatory assessments, on-site inspections, off-site supervision, regulatory inquiries, enforcement actions, and administrative penalties. In addition, the measures set out differentiated disclosure requirements tailored to the specific characteristics of different types of institutions. The National Administration of Financial Regulation stated that this initiative is a concrete step toward upholding the principle of finance serving the people and promoting sound corporate governance among banking and insurance institutions. It will help reinforce external oversight and market discipline over these institutions, their directors, supervisors, and senior management; foster fair market competition; encourage institutions to continuously improve their management standards and risk‑prevention capabilities; and provide the public with channels to promptly access and objectively assess institutional performance, enabling more informed decision‑making.

The Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Beijing stock exchanges have simultaneously revised the guidelines for the review of corporate bond issuance and listing.

On September 4, the Shanghai Stock Exchange, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, and the Beijing Stock Exchange respectively issued “Guidance No. 6 on the Application of the Shanghai Stock Exchange’s Rules for the Review of Corporate Bond Issuance and Listing—Optimized Review for Well-Known, Mature Issuers (Revised in 2026),” “Shenzhen Stock Exchange Guidance No. 3 on the Review of Corporate Bond Issuance and Listing—Optimized Review Arrangements (Revised in 2026),” and “Beijing Stock Exchange Guidance No. 6 on the Application of the Rules for the Review of Corporate Bond Issuance and Listing—Optimized Review for Well-Known, Mature Issuers.” These guidelines take effect from the date of their issuance, and the previous versions issued on October 20, 2023, are hereby repealed. This revision moderately relaxes the eligibility criteria for well-known, mature issuers: the required return on total assets has been lowered from 3% to 2.5%; the rules governing the application of exemption provisions have been refined, with the asset‑size threshold reduced from RMB 300 billion to RMB 250 billion, while a new requirement has been added stipulating that the return on total assets must be no less than 1.5%; and the criteria for identifying listed companies have been streamlined, shifting from inclusion in relevant indices to requiring that, over the most recent two years, a company’s information disclosure evaluation score be A, its total assets be no less than RMB 20 billion, and its return on equity be no less than 2%. In terms of review measures, the validity period of the qualification for well-known, mature issuers has been extended from two to three years, and the time limit for submitting applications for a new tranche of corporate bonds prior to the expiration of the previously approved bond issuance has been lengthened from three to six months. Additionally, the guidelines clarify unified submission of consolidated application documents, specify detailed arrangements for the use of proceeds during the pre‑issuance filing stage, simplify information disclosure requirements, and appropriately extend the validity period of financial reports, among other facilitative measures.

Business and Corporations

COMMERCIAL & CORPORATE

The State Council Executive Meeting has laid out measures to promote high-quality development in investment promotion.

On August 31, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council presided over an executive meeting of the State Council to deliberate on measures to promote high-quality investment promotion. The meeting noted that standardizing investment attraction is a key component of building a unified national market, and emphasized the need to clearly define the specific actions that governments may or may not undertake in attracting investment, while ensuring meticulous implementation of all related tasks. It further called for greater standardization of local governments’ economic promotion activities, shifting the focus of investment‑attraction efforts toward optimizing the business environment, fostering industrial ecosystems, and delivering high‑quality government services. The meeting also urged the refinement of mechanisms for communication and dialogue with enterprises, proactively assisting them in addressing practical challenges, and creating fairer, more dynamic market conditions conducive to enterprise development. In addition, the meeting heard a report on the progress of urban underground utility network construction and instructed that such projects be advanced with systems‑thinking, emphasizing integrated planning and equal emphasis on construction and management. Furthermore, the meeting reviewed and approved the Draft Amendment to the Regulations for the Implementation of the Audit Law of the People’s Republic of China, stressing that this revision should serve as an opportunity to deepen audit reform, strengthen accountability for audit‑related rectification, enhance oversight of fiscal revenues and expenditures, improve mechanisms for policy implementation, and continuously boost the effectiveness of audit‑based supervision.

The Ministry of Commerce and six other departments have issued the Implementation Opinions on Promoting the Expansion and Upgrading of Consumer Goods Consumption.

On August 31, the Ministry of Commerce, in collaboration with the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the State Administration for Market Regulation, issued the “Implementation Opinions on Promoting the Expansion and Upgrading of Consumer Goods Consumption.” The document sets out the guiding principles, basic tenets, and overall objectives for boosting consumer goods consumption during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, projecting that by 2030, total retail sales of consumer goods will reach approximately RMB 60 trillion. It aims to cultivate and develop ten‑trillion‑yuan‑scale markets in areas such as green consumption, smart consumption, and health‑oriented consumption, while ensuring sustained growth in the retail sales of trillion‑yuan‑level product categories—including automobiles, home appliances, telecommunications equipment, and textiles and apparel—and maintaining China’s global leadership in market size. The Implementation Opinions outline four key task areas: first, stimulating consumption of major durable goods by advancing pilot reforms in automobile circulation, expanding automobile consumption across the entire value chain, and accelerating the adoption of smart home technologies; second, steadily elevating consumption of everyday household goods; third, supporting specialty‑goods consumption, with a focus on the elderly and children, by promoting products for seniors and infants, and encouraging the uptake of domestic “trendy” brands, high‑quality export goods, and international premium products; and fourth, fostering and strengthening consumption of upgrade‑oriented goods. In addition, the document proposes five supporting measures—improving urban–rural consumption infrastructure, refining the consumer goods standards system, bolstering brand development, enhancing fiscal and financial support, and regulating the order of the consumer goods market—alongside 20 specific initiatives designed to align supply and demand, tailor policies to different product categories, and address the needs of priority demographic groups.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and nine other departments have issued the “15th Five-Year Plan” for promoting the development of small and medium-sized enterprises.

On September 3, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, together with ten other departments including the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Ministry of Finance, jointly issued the “15th Five-Year Plan for Promoting the Development of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises.” This is the first guiding document in the SME sector for the 15th Five-Year Plan period. The plan sets out targets to achieve, by 2030: an approximate 15% cumulative increase in per‑capita operating revenue among large‑scale SMEs; an average annual growth rate of over 8% in internal R&D expenditures among industrial SMEs above a designated size; the establishment of 22,000 specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative “Little Giant” enterprises; the development of 600 national-level clusters of SMEs with distinctive features; and a penetration rate of Level II digitalization exceeding 95% and Level III digitalization exceeding 80% among such SMEs, along with the creation of 50 China–foreign SME cooperation zones. The plan outlines seven key tasks: ensuring business and employment stability; strengthening enterprise cultivation; accelerating digital, intelligent, and green transformation; promoting coordinated and integrated development; bolstering the supply of production factors; improving the service system; and reinforcing legal and policy safeguards. The following day, the General Office of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology released the “Artificial Intelligence–Driven Startup Support Program for SMEs (2026–2028)” (MIIT Enterprise [2026] No. 31), which aims, over three years, to cultivate more than 10,000 new technology‑driven and innovation‑oriented SMEs in priority areas such as industry applications, data services, and intelligent computing power, while helping over 2,000 specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative “Little Giant” enterprises reach critical mass. The program lays out 15 priority tasks across four pillars—strengthening the supply of entrepreneurial resources, enhancing the development of startup entities, deepening empowerment through open-source ecosystems, and improving support for startup services—ensuring that the two documents are mutually aligned in their target‑setting framework.

Three departments have issued guidelines on overseas competitive practices and compliance-building in the automotive industry.

On September 1, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the State Administration for Market Regulation jointly issued the “Guidance on Foreign Competition Practices and Compliance Building in the Automotive Industry.” Comprising four chapters and twenty articles, this is the first specialized national-level guidance addressing overseas competition practices and compliance in the automotive sector, providing a reference framework for Chinese automakers engaged in international production and operations. The guidance focuses on regulating competitive practices such as pricing, promotions, and advertising abroad, stipulating that companies should adopt cost‑based pricing strategies aligned with international market supply and demand, establish clear price tiers when setting recommended retail prices overseas, and avoid frequent, substantial price fluctuations that could harm consumer interests and brand image, while respecting the pricing autonomy of local distributors and agents. In conducting brand promotion, companies must disclose information truthfully and comprehensively, refraining from any false or misleading claims. A separate chapter is devoted to compliance building, covering areas such as workplace safety, quality management, labor protection, and data security in overseas markets. In recent years, China’s automobile exports have expanded rapidly; by 2025, annual exports are projected to reach 8.32 million vehicles, reaching more than 200 countries and regions. The issuance of this guidance reflects a shift in China’s automotive export strategy—from an emphasis on sheer scale expansion to a balanced approach that prioritizes both growth and orderly market conduct.

Taxation

TAXATION

The State Council Executive Meeting deliberated and approved the draft amendment to the Law on the Administration of Tax Collection.

On August 31, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council presided over an executive meeting of the State Council. The meeting discussed and approved in principle the draft amendment to the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Administration of Tax Collection, and decided to submit the draft to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress for deliberation. The meeting emphasized the need to organize tax collection and administration in accordance with the law, standardize tax enforcement practices, focus on improving taxpayer services, strengthen the protection of taxpayers’ legitimate rights and interests, and continuously promote tax equity while enhancing fiscal and tax governance. Since its promulgation in 1992 and comprehensive revision in 2001, the Law on the Administration of Tax Collection has served as a foundational statute regulating the relationship between tax authorities and taxpayers. With the progressive advancement of legislation on taxes such as the Value-Added Tax Law, and profound changes in business models and transaction methods under the digital economy, the existing tax administration system has increasingly revealed shortcomings in areas such as tax‑related information sharing, the scope of tax inspection powers, and mechanisms for safeguarding taxpayers’ rights. Following the submission of this revision to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress for review, the ensuing institutional changes warrant continued attention.

The Ministry of Finance and the State Taxation Administration have clarified the personal income tax policy on dividends and bonus income for foreign individuals.

On September 1, the Ministry of Finance and the State Taxation Administration issued the “Announcement on Relevant Matters Concerning the Individual Income Tax Policy for Dividends and Bonuses Received by Foreign Individuals” (Ministry of Finance and State Taxation Administration Announcement No. 27 of 2026), which will take effect from September 1, 2026. At the same time, Item (8) of Article 2 of the “Notice of the Ministry of Finance and the State Taxation Administration on Several Policy Issues Relating to Individual Income Tax” (Cai Shui Zi [1994] No. 20) is hereby repealed. The announcement clarifies that dividends and bonuses received by foreign individuals from foreign-invested enterprises shall be subject to individual income tax under the “interest, dividends, and bonuses” category, at a tax rate of 20%. When a foreign-invested enterprise pays dividends or bonuses to a foreign individual, it must withhold and remit the tax and file and pay the tax by the 15th day of the month following the payment. If the foreign-invested enterprise fails to withhold and remit the tax, the foreign individual receiving the dividends or bonuses must pay the tax by June 30 of the year following the year in which the income was received; if the tax authority issues a notice setting a deadline for payment, the foreign individual shall comply with that deadline. This marks the official termination of the preferential policy—implemented for more than three decades—under which foreign individuals were exempt from individual income tax on dividends and bonuses received from foreign-invested enterprises, necessitating a reassessment of profit distribution arrangements and the individual income tax burden of shareholders in such enterprises.

The Ministry of Finance and the State Taxation Administration have issued the Measures for the Withholding and Remittance of Value-Added Tax on Individuals by Domestic Entities.

On September 3, the Ministry of Finance and the State Taxation Administration issued the “Announcement on the Release of the Measures for the Withholding and Remittance of Value-Added Tax by Domestic Entities on Behalf of Individuals” (Ministry of Finance and State Taxation Administration Announcement No. 28 of 2026). The announcement clarifies that, in accordance with the Value-Added Tax Law of the People’s Republic of China, the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Administration of Tax Collection, the Implementing Regulations of the Value-Added Tax Law of the People’s Republic of China, and relevant provisions, the Ministry of Finance and the State Taxation Administration have formulated the Measures for the Withholding and Remittance of Value-Added Tax by Domestic Entities on Behalf of Individuals, which are hereby promulgated. This measure represents another significant achievement in the development of supporting tax administration systems following the entry into force of the Value-Added Tax Law and its implementing regulations, and, together with Announcements No. 25 and No. 27 of 2026, will form the comprehensive framework of detailed implementation rules for the new law. As the Value-Added Tax Law extends taxpayer status to individuals and explicitly defines their tax obligations, there is an urgent need to refine the rules governing the administration of value-added tax on transactions involving the sale of goods, services, intangible assets, and real estate by individuals. The issuance of these measures will provide a unified operational basis to address this need. In situations where enterprises procure goods or services from individuals or lease real estate, they should pay close attention to the interpretation and application of the relevant withholding provisions and promptly adjust their financial and contract management processes.

Litigation and Arbitration

LITIGATION & ARBITRATION

The Supreme People’s Procuratorate and the National Healthcare Security Administration have jointly released typical cases of crimes involving fraudulently obtaining medical insurance benefits.

On September 4, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate and the National Healthcare Security Administration jointly released a set of typical cases titled “Punishing Insurance Fraud Crimes in Accordance with the Law to Safeguard the Security of Medical Insurance Funds.” The batch comprises six cases, including the fraud case involving Li Mouting and others; the fraud, concealment, and cover-up of proceeds of crime case involving Chen Molian and others; the fraud case involving Yi Moubin and others; the fraud, concealment, and cover-up of proceeds of crime case involving Chai Mouzhu and others; the fraud case involving Qin Mougui and Zhang Mou; and the fraud case involving Zhang Mouqing and others. These cases involve various fraudulent schemes, such as insurance fraud by staff at designated medical institutions, “return‑flow drug”–based fraud, falsification and fabrication of medical services by personnel at specialized medical facilities, professional fraudsters exploiting the system, and fabricating employment relationships to obtain maternity benefits. The amounts involved range from over one million yuan to more than ten million yuan. Notably, Li Mouting and his accomplices lured insured individuals into hospitalization by offering “free admission, free transportation, free meals, and cash rebates upon discharge,” while also defrauding the medical insurance fund of over 12.96 million yuan through fictitious medical service items. Three principal offenders were sentenced to life imprisonment or fixed-term imprisonment ranging from ten years to life. Meanwhile, professional fraudsters like Chai Mouzhu exploited the “online–offline integration” model of internet hospitals to perpetrate fraud, causing losses exceeding 10 million yuan to the medical insurance fund, and were handed down sentences ranging from eighteen years’ imprisonment to one year and three months. According to reports, from 2025 through the end of June this year, procuratorial organs nationwide have prosecuted more than 5,500 individuals for fraud and deception in the medical insurance sector, recovering nearly 300 million yuan in losses to the medical insurance fund during the prosecution stage.

The Supreme People’s Procuratorate has released typical cases of technical support for intellectual property prosecution.

On September 2, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate publicly released a set of typical cases demonstrating technical support in intellectual property prosecution. Compiled jointly by the Intellectual Property Prosecution Department and the Research Center for Procuratorial Technology and Information of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, the collection comprises five cases that highlight the comprehensive exercise of prosecutorial functions in the field of intellectual property, covering both criminal and civil aspects. These cases focus on complex and challenging technical issues encountered in IP-related investigations and prosecutions, including the determination of patent infringement, the assessment of the non‑public nature of trade secrets, the evaluation of technological measures protecting copyright, the identification of “hotlinking” in online dissemination, and the verification of identity in cybercrime cases. During case handling, procuratorial organs have employed a range of methods—such as leveraging procuratorial technical assistance, engaging technical investigators, requesting experts with specialized knowledge to appear in court, and commissioning forensic examinations—to strengthen the collation, analysis, review, and utilization of technical evidence. For instance, in the case involving Hong某 Biotechnology Co., Ltd. and Zhang Moulei et al., who were accused of counterfeiting registered trademarks and infringing trade secrets, the procuratorial authorities commissioned a technical investigator to conduct a substantive review of the expert opinion and issue a professional report, comparing it with the publicly disclosed content of the relevant invention patent to accurately determine the non‑public nature of the technology at issue. In another case—the supervision of the judgment in the dispute over infringement of an invention patent between Party A and a construction company—the Supreme People’s Procuratorate entrusted a forensic appraisal center to carry out expert assessments, collect on‑site evidence, and attend the retrial proceedings, thereby filing a protest in accordance with the law and facilitating a settlement that brought the case to a close.

First-instance verdict delivered in the bribery case of Li Liangxu.

On September 2, the Intermediate People’s Court of Jining City, Shandong Province, delivered a first-instance public verdict in the case of Li Liangxu, former Party Secretary and Director of the Meteorological Observation Center of the China Meteorological Administration, who was convicted of accepting bribes. The court sentenced defendant Li Liangxu to thirteen years’ imprisonment and imposed a fine of RMB 3.5 million. All proceeds of crime and any孳息 seized in the case were confiscated in accordance with the law and turned over to the state treasury. The trial established that, from February 2007 to February 2025, while holding positions including Party Secretary and Director of the Shaanxi Provincial Meteorological Bureau and Party Secretary and Director of the Meteorological Observation Center of the China Meteorological Administration, the defendant Li Liangxu took advantage of his official position to provide assistance to relevant entities or individuals in areas such as project contracting, settlement of engineering payments, personnel adjustments, and employee recruitment. He personally, or in collusion with others, illegally accepted property totaling more than RMB 38.06 million, of which he personally obtained over RMB 33.61 million. The Intermediate People’s Court of Jining City held that the defendant Li Liangxu’s conduct constituted the crime of accepting bribes, and that the amount involved was particularly huge. In view of the fact that, upon surrendering, Li Liangxu voluntarily disclosed criminal facts not yet known to the investigating authorities, truthfully confessed to all the crimes, returned all illicit gains and any孳息, and pleaded guilty and accepted punishment—circumstances warranting statutory leniency—the court rendered the above‑mentioned judgment in accordance with the law. The case was heard publicly on May 26, 2026.

First-instance verdict delivered in the bribery case of Ning Jian.

On September 4, the Intermediate People’s Court of Ya’an City, Sichuan Province, delivered a first-instance public verdict in the bribery case involving Ning Jian, former member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director-General of the Sichuan Provincial Department of Transport. The court sentenced defendant Ning Jian to twelve years’ imprisonment for the crime of bribery and imposed a fine of RMB 3 million; the assets obtained through bribery that had been seized were confiscated and turned over to the state treasury. The trial established that, from 2010 to 2025, while holding such positions as member of the Party Leadership Group and Vice Mayor of the Guang’an Municipal Government, Member of the Standing Committee of the Leshan Municipal Party Committee and Secretary-General and Head of the United Front Work Department, Member of the Standing Committee of the Yibin Municipal Party Committee and Executive Vice Mayor of the Yibin Municipal Government, and Member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director-General of the Sichuan Provincial Department of Transport, the defendant Ning Jian took advantage of the conveniences afforded by his official duties and the favorable conditions created by his authority and position to assist others in matters such as project contracting, fund disbursement, and personnel adjustments, thereby illegally accepting property totaling more than RMB 31.8 million. The Ya’an Intermediate People’s Court held that Ning Jian’s conduct constituted the crime of bribery, with an especially large amount involved, and thus warranted punishment in accordance with the law. In view of the fact that, after surrendering, Ning Jian truthfully confessed to his crimes, voluntarily disclosed most of the criminal facts not yet known to the investigating authorities, pleaded guilty and accepted punishment, and actively returned the illicit proceeds— all of which have now been fully recovered—the court determined that a lighter sentence could be imposed pursuant to law. The case was heard publicly on June 3, 2026, at which time Ning Jian expressed his guilt and remorse in court.

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