Taihe Legal News, Issue 1225

Key Takeaways for This Issue

The State Council Executive Meeting reviewed and approved the draft Regulations on the Protection of Traditional Knowledge of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

On September 18, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council presided over an executive meeting of the State Council, which reviewed and approved the Draft Regulations on the Protection of Traditional Knowledge in Traditional Chinese Medicine, deliberated the Draft Amendments to 15 laws, including the Emergency Response Law of the People’s Republic of China, and decided to submit them to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress for consideration. The meeting also heard a report on work related to aging, examined measures to promote the sound development of sports events, and laid out plans for implementing the project to expand and upgrade medical rehabilitation and nursing services.

The General Office of the State Council has issued guidelines to strengthen safety oversight across the entire lifecycle of fireworks and firecrackers.

On September 17, the General Office of the State Council issued the “Opinions on Further Strengthening Comprehensive Safety Supervision Across the Entire Fireworks and Firecrackers Chain” (Guobanfa [2026] No. 26), outlining chain‑wide regulatory measures covering production, storage, sales, transportation, and ignition. The document reinforces coordination between administrative and criminal enforcement, mandating that any business entity involved in accidents resulting in casualties must suspend operations for rectification and undergo a re‑examination of its work‑safety conditions in accordance with the law.

The Supreme People’s Court has released typical cases on the rule of law in cyberspace.

On September 16, the Supreme People’s Court released four typical cases on cyber rule of law, covering such issues as the application of injunctions to protect personality rights in cases of online violence, the determination of liability for livestreaming sellers who infringe upon others’ personality rights, the boundaries of tort liability for search engine service providers, and the conviction and sentencing of those who provide online technical support for cross-border gambling.

Finance and Capital Markets

FINANCE & CAPITAL MARKETS

BlackRock Fund has been approved as an eligible domestic institutional investor.

On September 18, the latest information on the website of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) indicated that BlackRock Fund Management Co., Ltd. has been approved for Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor (QDII) status, with approval document number CSRC License [2026] No. 2540 issued on September 16. As a result, BlackRock Fund has become the first newly established foreign‑owned public fund management company to obtain this qualification, laying the groundwork for further expanding its global asset allocation business. QDII is an important channel through which domestic investors can participate in overseas securities investments via qualified institutions. Previously, Morgan Fund, Manulife Fund, and Morgan Stanley Fund—each having transitioned from joint ventures to wholly foreign‑owned entities—had also secured QDII status; however, their approvals all predated their conversion to wholly foreign‑owned public funds. BlackRock Fund’s designation as the “first” applies specifically to newly established foreign‑owned public fund management companies in China, underscoring the further expansion of cross‑border investment activities by such new entrants. According to the relevant guidelines issued by the CSRC, fund management companies seeking QDII qualification must meet requirements including net assets of no less than RMB 200 million, at least two years of experience in fund management, and total assets under management of no less than RMB 20 billion or the equivalent in foreign currency as of the end of the most recent quarter. They must also have qualified personnel dedicated to overseas investment management, along with robust governance and internal control systems. In accordance with the approval, the company is required to complete the necessary preparatory work within six months of receiving the approval and may only commence overseas securities investment management after passing an on-site inspection by the Shanghai Securities Regulatory Bureau. BlackRock Fund stated that it will take this QDII approval as a new starting point, prioritizing investor interests and steadily advancing its QDII‑related business and product offerings in compliance with Chinese laws, regulations, and supervisory requirements.

The People’s Bank of China rolled over RMB 500 billion of 6-month buyback-style reverse repos in equal amounts.

On September 14, the People’s Bank of China issued a public announcement on reverse repurchase operations under the buy‑back framework, stating that, to maintain ample liquidity in the banking system, it will conduct a 500 billion yuan buy‑back reverse repo operation on September 15, 2026, using a fixed‑quantity, fixed‑rate tender with multiple price tiers. The tenor is six months (181 days), with maturity on March 15, 2027. Given that the outstanding balance of six‑month buy‑back reverse repos maturing in September totals 500 billion yuan, this month’s six‑month operation represents a rollover of the same amount, resulting in zero net injection or withdrawal of liquidity. Earlier, on September 7, the PBOC had already offset the 500 billion yuan of three‑month buy‑back reverse repos maturing that month by conducting an equivalent‑amount offsetting operation. In addition, on September 10, the PBOC announced that it would carry out overnight reverse repo operations from September 14 to 17, employing a fixed‑rate, quantity‑based tender process, with daily volumes not exceeding 600 billion yuan. Market participants note that since the beginning of September, money market conditions have remained relatively stable, with short‑term money market rates persistently below policy rates; seven‑day reverse repos have largely been conducted at very low volumes or not at all. The equal‑amount rollovers of both tenors of buy‑back reverse repos underscore the PBOC’s policy orientation of guiding key market rates to remain anchored around the policy rate midpoint, while also reflecting its increasingly refined and precise management of short‑term liquidity within the framework of “daily limits plus fixed‑rate, quantity‑based tenders.”

The Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Beijing stock exchanges have announced their trading holiday schedules for the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day.

On September 17, the Shanghai Stock Exchange, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, and the Beijing Stock Exchange each issued announcements outlining their trading holiday schedules for the 2026 Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day. According to the announcements, the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday will run from Friday, September 25, to Sunday, September 27, with markets resuming normal trading on Monday, September 28; the National Day holiday will span from Thursday, October 1, to Wednesday, October 7, with trading resuming as usual on Thursday, October 8. In addition, trading will be suspended on Sunday, September 20, and Saturday, October 10, due to weekend holidays. The Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges also jointly released a notice on the Hong Kong Stock Connect trading schedule, specifying that Hong Kong Stock Connect services will be unavailable from September 25 to September 27 during the Mid-Autumn Festival period, with services resuming as scheduled starting September 28; during the National Day holiday, from October 1 to October 7, Hong Kong Stock Connect services will remain suspended, with resumption of normal operations beginning on October 8. The notices further clarify that clearing and settlement arrangements during these holidays will follow the relevant procedures set forth by China Securities Depository & Clearing Corporation Limited, and all market participants are advised to make corresponding adjustments to their operations accordingly. Moreover, to ensure the smooth resumption of trading after the holidays, the Beijing Stock Exchange has scheduled a joint testing session for its trading system from 9:15 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 6.

The Shanghai Stock Exchange has revised and released the “Comprehensive Guide for Board Secretaries.”

On September 18, the Shanghai Stock Exchange issued the “Comprehensive Guide to Understanding the Rules on the Duties of Board Secretaries of Listed Companies (Revised in 2026)” to all listed companies on the Shanghai market. The guide aims to help these companies accurately grasp the key provisions of the new regulations governing board secretaries, thereby further facilitating and safeguarding their proper performance of duties. The SSE’s first edition of this “Board Secretary Handbook” was released at the end of 2025; this latest revision builds primarily on the institutional context created by the implementation of the new board secretary rules, updating the regulatory framework and key content maps relevant to board secretary responsibilities, while also compiling representative case studies for reference and guidance. Looking back, the China Securities Regulatory Commission’s “Regulations on the Supervision of Board Secretaries of Listed Companies,” together with the SSE’s accompanying self-regulatory amendments, officially came into effect on May 24 this year. Market participants have paid close attention to requirements regarding board secretary qualifications and restrictions on concurrent positions—for example, board secretaries are required to possess “at least five years of experience in finance, accounting, legal compliance, financial services, or other fields relevant to the performance of board secretary duties,” and are prohibited from concurrently serving as a general manager, a deputy general manager in charge of business operations, or a chief financial officer. This revised edition further organizes frequently asked questions that have arisen since the new rules took effect, covering such topics as the scope of board secretary duties, eligibility criteria, restrictions on concurrent appointments, and transitional arrangements. By illustrating these issues through both positive and negative case examples, the guide assists listed companies in better understanding and applying the regulations. It is worth noting that the transition period for adjusting board secretary appointments and concurrent roles has been extended until December 31, 2027, providing listed companies with ample time to make compliant adjustments.

 

Business and Corporations

COMMERCIAL & CORPORATE

The State Council Executive Meeting reviewed and approved the draft Regulations on the Protection of Traditional Knowledge of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

On September 18, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council presided over an executive meeting of the State Council, where he heard a report on work related to aging, examined measures to promote the sound development of sports events, and made arrangements for implementing the project to expand and upgrade medical rehabilitation and nursing services. The meeting also reviewed and approved the draft Regulations on the Protection of Traditional Knowledge in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and discussed the draft amendments to 15 laws, including the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Responding to Emergencies. The meeting noted that it is essential to gain a comprehensive and objective understanding of the implications of population aging, to implement in depth the national strategy for proactively addressing population aging, and to focus on enhancing services and safeguards for the elderly. It called for improving the multi-tiered, multi-pillar pension system, streamlining linkages among home-based, community-based, and institutional elderly care services, expanding universally accessible elderly care options, enriching products and services tailored to older adults, and fostering new consumption scenarios in the silver economy. The meeting further emphasized that sports events play a vital role in meeting the diverse needs of the public and elevating the quality of life, and that efforts should be stepped up to increase the supply of high-quality sporting events. It urged coordinated development of competitive sports events, professional leagues, and mass participation events; the cultivation of a number of specialized event‑management entities; and the improvement of systems for managing venues, personnel, and institutions. The meeting also stressed the need to strengthen the medical rehabilitation and nursing service system with a focus on the grassroots level, to dynamically adjust the catalog of rehabilitation and long-term care service items, to deepen reforms of pricing mechanisms for these services, and to refine policies for talent development. Finally, the meeting underscored that the theories, techniques, and medicinal formulas of traditional Chinese medicine constitute an important source of China’s independent innovation. It called for comprehensively reinforcing the protection and management of traditional knowledge in TCM, coordinating efforts to safeguard and utilize TCM resources, and intensifying international exchanges and cooperation, so as to enhance the global influence of China’s traditional medicine through mutual learning and cross‑cultural exchange. The meeting discussed and approved in principle the draft amendments to 15 laws, including the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Responding to Emergencies, and decided to submit the draft to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress for deliberation.

The General Office of the State Council has issued guidelines to strengthen safety oversight across the entire lifecycle of fireworks and firecrackers.

On September 17, the General Office of the State Council issued the “Opinions on Further Strengthening Comprehensive Safety Supervision Across the Entire Fireworks and Firecrackers Industry Chain” (Guobanfa [2026] No. 26), outlining measures to prevent and mitigate major safety risks and effectively curb accidents. The Opinions emphasize putting the people first and prioritizing life, coordinating development with safety, focusing on key issues, and ensuring that enterprises, regulatory authorities, and local governments all assume their respective responsibilities, thereby enhancing the intrinsic safety level of the fireworks and firecrackers industry. The document sets forth comprehensive regulatory measures covering five stages—production, storage, distribution, transportation, and ignition—detailing specific requirements for each phase: In the production stage, strict approval procedures shall be implemented for enterprise access licenses; control over black powder, fuse cords, retired propellants, and other explosive materials and semi‑finished products must be strengthened; the use of detonators such as azides and hydrazinium nitrate salts in the manufacture of fireworks and firecrackers is strictly prohibited; manufacturers are forbidden from reselling pyrotechnic powders, black powder, fuse cords, drug‑containing semi‑finished products, or explosive precursors to any entity or individual; and subcontracting or accepting commissioned processing of products is also prohibited. In the storage stage, safety risk management must be reinforced for chemical raw material warehouses, hazardous‑material transit depots, central drug storage facilities, and finished‑product warehouses. In the distribution stage, stringent licensing and approval processes shall be applied to business entities; tracking and traceability systems must be strengthened; online information oversight should be enhanced; and export‑related safety management must be strictly enforced. In the transportation stage, the transport of fireworks and firecrackers via ordinary freight and postal channels must be rigorously prevented. In the ignition stage, policies governing the setting off of fireworks and firecrackers should be formulated in a scientific and rational manner, and safety management for large‑scale fireworks displays must be tightened. The Opinions further call for intensified quality and safety supervision, the improvement of the standards system, and closer coordination between administrative and criminal enforcement. Any fireworks and firecrackers enterprise involved in accidents resulting in casualties shall be ordered to suspend production and operations for rectification, and its safety production conditions shall be re‑examined in accordance with the law.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban–Rural Development outlines key priorities for housing and urban–rural development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.

On September 18, the State Council Information Office held a series of thematic press conferences titled “Getting Off to a Strong Start in the 15th Five-Year Plan Period.” An official from the Ministry of Housing and Urban–Rural Development outlined measures to promote high-quality development in housing and urban–rural construction during this period. The ministry noted that the real estate market is currently undergoing two major shifts: first, a significant transformation in the balance between supply and demand; and second, the industry’s transition into the stock‑age era, with the share of secondhand home transactions rising from 27% in 2020 to 46% by 2025—and already reaching 52% in the first eight months of this year. Exceeding 50% marks the formal entry of the sector into the stock‑age phase. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the Ministry will vigorously implement three foundational systems: the project‑company model, the lead‑bank system, and the ready‑to‑move‑in sales regime. Specifically, it will institutionalize the project‑company model in real estate development—each project will be tied to a dedicated company, with strict prohibitions on headquarters siphoning funds from these entities; introduce the lead‑bank system for real estate financing to clarify who provides project‑level funding; and advance the ready‑to‑move‑in sales approach to address the longstanding issue of “cash for keys,” ensuring buyers receive exactly what they see and thereby fundamentally mitigating delivery risks. New projects will prioritize ready‑to‑move‑in sales, while pre‑sale projects will strengthen oversight of pre‑sale escrow funds. In addition, over the course of the 15th Five-Year Plan, the country plans to commence renovation work on 115,000 old urban residential communities, carry out comprehensive community‑building upgrades in 5,000 neighborhoods, and install or upgrade 575,000 residential elevators. Meanwhile, the ministry will reform and refine fundamental systems related to market access, tendering, and payment settlement, while undertaking holistic efforts to curb “involutionary” competition in the construction sector and tackle issues such as delayed payments.

The Cyberspace Administration of China has clearly defined the scope of handling enterprise-related infringement information.

On September 18, according to a Xinhua News Agency report, the Secretariat of the Cyberspace Administration of China issued the “Notice on Strengthening the Management of Enterprise‑Related Infringing Information and Continuously Promoting the Optimization of the Business‑Friendly Online Environment” (dated September 15), clearly defining the scope of handling such information. The notice points out that online infringements against enterprises are low‑cost, spread rapidly, and have far‑reaching impacts, often exhibiting recurring patterns and complex dynamics. Enterprises face significant challenges in protecting their rights, including difficulties in providing evidence, lengthy procedures, and high costs. Accordingly, the notice calls for advancing preventive measures and managing issues at their source, reinforcing the principal responsibility of website and platform operators for content management, and improving a comprehensive, end‑to‑end governance mechanism that encompasses pre‑publication review, ongoing monitoring during dissemination, and post‑incident handling. It also urges proactive removal of overtly infringing content related to enterprises and swift, stringent action against implicated accounts and MCN agencies. The notice specifies five categories of enterprise‑related infringing information that must be proactively identified and addressed: first, personal information—covering the unauthorized disclosure of entrepreneurs’ ID cards, passports, household registration records, home addresses, telephone numbers, and other personal identifiers and contact details, as well as sensitive data such as biometric information, medical and health records, financial account details, and location‑tracking data; second, defamation and disparagement—including insulting or verbally abusing enterprises and entrepreneurs, deliberately parodying or distorting corporate logos, products, or portraits of entrepreneurs, and maliciously associating enterprises and entrepreneurs with pornographic or vulgar topics; third, impersonation and counterfeiting—such as fabricating or misrepresenting news outlets’ reports on enterprise oversight; fourth, false or misleading content—including taking statements out of context, distorting interpretations of entrepreneurs’ past remarks, or presenting search‑keyword associations that contradict the facts; and fifth, other categories—such as disparaging or provocative posts targeting enterprises, as well as recycled old news stories or negative information. The notice further requires cyberspace administration authorities to enforce local regulatory responsibilities, imposing strict legal and regulatory penalties on websites and platforms that demonstrate insufficient attention or inadequate implementation, particularly those where public complaints are concentrated.

The Cyberspace Administration of China is seeking public input on regulations governing the healthy and safe use of the internet by minors.

On September 18, the Cyberspace Administration of China released for public consultation the “Regulations of the State Council on Ensuring the Healthy and Safe Use of the Internet by Minors (Draft for Comments),” with a deadline for feedback set for October 17, 2026. The draft comprises twenty-five articles, clearly outlining the collaborative governance requirements among various stakeholders—including relevant government departments, online service providers, smart terminal manufacturers, app distribution platform operators, mass organizations, schools, and guardians—regarding the healthy and safe use of the internet by minors. The draft stipulates that online service providers may not offer minors online social networking services involving strangers, nor may they provide virtual intimate‑relationship services such as virtual relatives or virtual companions, nor may they deliver online services that induce addiction or otherwise harm or potentially seriously affect minors’ physical and mental health. It further prohibits the provision of live‑streaming publishing services to minors under the age of sixteen. The draft also sets forth rules on identifying minor users and regulating online content, requiring online service providers to possess the capability to identify minor users and to implement necessary measures to safeguard their personal information; under the minor‑mode setting, they must refrain from displaying online information that is harmful or likely to adversely affect minors’ physical and mental well‑being. Moreover, they are required to establish sound systems for reviewing algorithmic mechanisms and managing online content, and must not deploy algorithmic models that encourage emotional dependence, addiction, or excessive consumption among minor users. The draft further mandates that smart terminal manufacturers equip their devices with features such as linked minor‑mode activation, one‑click switching, exit verification, and anti‑circumvention safeguards; app distribution platform operators must fulfill their responsibilities for security management; and guardians are expected to assist in enabling and guiding minors to use the minor‑mode setting.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism has issued the “15th Five-Year Plan” for the development of the cultural industries and for cultural and tourism development.

On September 16, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued the “15th Five-Year Plan for the Development of the Cultural Industries,” outlining the overarching objectives, key tasks, and supporting measures for cultural industry development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, and systematically coordinating cultural industry‑related work across the culture and tourism sectors. The plan sets forth the goal of achieving a significant leap in the scale, overall strength, and comprehensive benefits of the cultural industries by 2030, while further improving the industrial system, markedly enhancing innovation capacity, enriching the supply of high‑quality products, fostering a more vibrant cultural market, stimulating more dynamic cultural consumption, steadily boosting international competitiveness, and consolidating the cultural industries’ role as a pillar sector. The plan specifies seven priority areas: enhancing the efficiency of industrial supply and cultivating new growth drivers; strengthening technology‑driven innovation and exploring effective pathways for deep integration between culture and technology; promoting higher‑quality, upgraded consumption and unlocking the potential of cultural spending; invigorating market entities and elevating the level of cultural finance services; deepening cross‑sectoral integration to advance the synergistic development of the cultural industries with tourism and other related sectors; optimizing industrial spatial planning to foster coordinated development among regions and between urban and rural areas; and bolstering the overall strength of cultural trade to help more outstanding cultural enterprises and products gain global reach. Earlier, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism also released the “15th Five-Year Plan for Cultural and Tourism Development,” which lays out priority tasks in eight key areas—such as revitalizing artistic creation and production, strengthening the protection and transmission of cultural heritage, vigorously developing the cultural and tourism industries, and coordinating the cultivation and regulation of cultural and tourism markets—and outlines 54 major project initiatives.

Three departments have issued a document to optimize the allocation of natural resources and promote the standardized, orderly development of the tourism industry.

On September 15, the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration jointly issued the “Guiding Opinions on Optimizing the Allocation of Natural Resources and Promoting the Standardized and Orderly Development of the Tourism Industry,” outlining policy measures in five key areas: strengthening spatial coordination, improving land-use controls for tourism, optimizing mechanisms for supplying natural resources, encouraging the utilization of existing spaces, and enhancing the effectiveness of services and regulation. The document clarifies that, without exceeding binding indicators such as the “Three Zones and Three Lines” or other bottom-line management requirements, the spatial needs of tourism development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period will be systematically integrated into natural resource management and territorial spatial planning under a unified framework, with coordinated scientific site selection. Furthermore, detailed plans for scenic and historic areas will be incorporated into the territorial spatial planning system. The opinions stipulate that, for public‑service facilities such as gas stations, service areas, and rest stops—when located far from urban centers and required for tourism development—land parcels may be designated as independent urban construction land outside the urban development boundary. As for small, scattered tourism‑related service facilities—including tourist administration buildings, eco‑tourism toilets, elevated walkways, and boardwalks—as well as simple RV campsites that primarily provide basic amenities like parking, water, electricity, and sewage disposal without harming forest growth or hardening the ground, and suburban parks or tourist attractions that do not alter their original land‑use classification, these may continue to be managed according to their existing land‑use categories. Additionally, the document supports the conduct of eco‑tourism activities—such as camping, hiking, sightseeing, educational tours, and forest‑based health and wellness programs—within the core protection zones of nature reserves but outside ecological protection red lines. The opinions also emphasize the need to strictly adhere to land‑use designations set forth in territorial spatial plans, prohibiting any unauthorized alteration of existing land conditions or planned uses under the guise of tourism projects, including the construction of villas, private estates, real estate developments, golf courses, theme parks, imitation ancient towns (or villages, streets), and landscape‑oriented replica structures.

 

Litigation and Arbitration

LITIGATION & ARBITRATION

The Supreme People’s Court has released typical cases on the rule of law in cyberspace.

On September 16, the Supreme People’s Court released four typical cases on cyber rule of law. From September 14 to 20, 2026, National Cybersecurity Publicity Week will be held, with the theme “Cybersecurity for the People, Cybersecurity by the People—Safeguarding Cyberspace in the Intelligent Era.” The cases released this time address issues such as the application of injunctions for infringement of personality rights in instances of online harassment, the determination of liability for e‑commerce livestreamers who infringe upon others’ personality rights, the attribution of tort liability to search engine service providers, and the conviction and sentencing of those providing online technical support for cross-border gambling. In the case of “Li v. Application for an Injunction Against Infringement of Personality Rights,” Li, Zhang, and Hu are all self-media bloggers on short‑video platforms. Together, Zhang and Hu’s online accounts have amassed over 20 million followers. Zhang publicly posted insulting and defamatory remarks about Li on the platform and, in collusion with Hu, hyped related topics, inciting fans to engage in online harassment—including verbal abuse, attacks, and reports—actions that continued throughout the litigation. The court accordingly ruled that Zhang and Hu must immediately cease their infringing conduct, with the injunction remaining in effect for six months. In the case of “Li Jin v. a Certain Cultural Company Regarding Dispute over Online Tort Liability,” it was clarified that when an e‑commerce livestreamer, acting on behalf of an e‑commerce operator, deliberately uses materials that infringe upon another person’s personality rights or other lawful interests, such conduct constitutes a tort. Furthermore, if the e‑commerce operator fails to fulfill its duty of review and is at fault for the resulting harm, it shall bear joint and several liability in accordance with the law. In the case of “Huang et al. v. Operating a Casino,” the defendants, pursuant to arrangements made by overseas gambling syndicates, provided software development and other technical support services for illegal gambling activities, amassing illicit proceeds totaling more than RMB 12.16 million. The court convicted Huang and the others of the crime of operating a casino, sentencing them to fixed-term imprisonment ranging from five years and six months to six months, along with fines.

The Cyberspace Administration of China has released typical cases of law enforcement in recent years involving cybersecurity and other areas.

On September 15, the Cyberspace Administration of China released a list of typical law‑enforcement cases in recent months involving cybersecurity, data security, and personal information protection. According to Xinhua News Agency, over the past period, cyberspace authorities nationwide have steadily intensified enforcement in these areas, investigating and handling a number of high‑profile cases related to website defacement, the deployment of malicious software, data breaches, unauthorized disclosure of personal information, illegal collection and use of personal data, unlawful cross‑border transfers of personal information, failure to comply with labeling requirements for AI‑generated or synthetic content, and the launch of new technologies and applications without undergoing required assessments. The relevant cases were publicly disclosed. An official from the Cyberspace Administration of China stated that cybersecurity, data security, and personal information protection are vital to national security, public interests, and the legitimate rights and interests of the people. All relevant entities and enterprises must strictly adhere to legal and regulatory requirements, earnestly fulfill their principal responsibilities, and build robust safeguards for cyberspace security. The cyberspace administration will continue to strengthen enforcement efforts, resolutely address prominent violations, and ensure high‑quality, effective cyber law enforcement to support the high‑quality development of the cyberspace sector. Judging from the types of cases announced this time, enforcement priorities have shifted from traditional cybersecurity issues such as website defacement and malicious software to emerging compliance areas—including compliance with cross‑border data transfers, labeling of AI‑generated or synthetic content, and security assessments for new technologies and applications. As a result, corporate data compliance and AI‑related compliance have become central focuses of cyberspace law enforcement.

The Ministry of Public Security has released 10 typical cases of cracking down on and rectifying online illegal and criminal activities.

On September 17, the Ministry of Public Security released ten typical cases of crackdowns on online illegal and criminal activities. Since the beginning of this year, public security cyber‑security departments nationwide have continued to deepen the “Clean Internet—2026” special campaign, adhering to the principles of “whole‑chain打击, case‑type targeting, and ecosystem governance.” As of recently, they have cumulatively investigated and solved over 36,000 cybercrime cases, including more than 4,100 cases involving the infringement of citizens’ personal information, over 3,900 hacking cases, and more than 11,000 cases of online rumor‑spreading. The typical cases announced this time cover a range of illegal and criminal activities, such as online rumors, cyberbullying, public‑opinion extortion, infringement of citizens’ personal information, and unauthorized control of computer information systems. Among them, public security organs in Zhejiang, Guangdong, Fujian, and other regions have cracked several cases of public‑opinion extortion carried out under the guise of “protecting dramas.” Investigations revealed that four criminal gangs, led by Li, Liao, Li, and Zheng, used cultural communication companies as fronts to post negative information about newly released films, TV series, and variety shows through “key opinion leader” accounts. They systematically, premeditatedly, corporately, and procedurally manufactured and manipulated adverse online public opinion, then collected fees under the banners of “public relations cooperation” or “drama protection,” thereby committing extortion. A total of 24 suspects have been apprehended, with seven principal offenders already placed under lawful criminal coercive measures. In addition, Chengdu’s public security cyber‑security authorities in Sichuan uncovered that He and Ye, employees in the real estate sector, had stolen and sold sensitive property‑rights data; 14 suspects have been subjected to criminal coercive measures. Meanwhile, Guangzhou’s public security cyber‑security department in Guangdong found that Gao, Lu, and others exploited system vulnerabilities to illegally gain control of more than 300,000 computer devices, causing business operations to be disrupted for several hours.

The Cybersecurity Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security has released five typical cases of online harassment targeting athletes.

On September 18, the Cybersecurity Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security released five typical cases of online harassment targeting athletes. Since the beginning of this year, public security cyber‑security departments have been steadily advancing the “Clean Internet—2026” special campaign, cracking down on illegal and criminal activities such as online harassment of athletes in accordance with the law. Among the five cases announced, four involved online harassment of table tennis players, and one targeted a diving athlete. Specifically, the cyber‑security authorities in Suihua, Heilongjiang, determined that an internet user named Cui Mouze, seeking to vent personal grievances, repeatedly posted insulting and defamatory remarks about a certain table tennis player on short‑video platforms, openly denigrating and undermining the athlete’s reputation and seriously disrupting public order online. In Xiamen, Fujian, police found that an internet user named Ke Mou, a fan of a particular table tennis player, repeatedly published posts on online platforms disparaging and belittling another table tennis player, inciting antagonism among users and deliberately engaging in competitive attacks. In Binzhou, Shandong, authorities established that an internet user named Jia Mouxia had repeatedly made insulting and defamatory statements about a table tennis player on various online platforms. Similarly, in Enshi, Hubei, police discovered that an internet user named He Moulín had repeatedly posted demeaning images and insulting, defamatory content about a table tennis player online. In Nanning, Guangxi, investigators revealed that an internet user named Wei Mousi had repeatedly uploaded videos to short‑video platforms that insulted and disparaged other diving athletes, while also organizing fan groups to jointly carry out online harassment campaigns. All of these individuals have since been subject to administrative penalties by their local public security organs in accordance with the law. The Cybersecurity Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security reminds the public that the 19th Asian Games will open on September 19, urging all netizens to watch the events in a civilized manner and to consciously regulate their online conduct.

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