China records 12.8-pct drop in criminal cases in 2025

BEIJING, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- The number of criminal cases filed by Chinese police declined by 12.8 percent in 2025 compared to the previous year, a police spokesperson said on Thursday.

Serious violent crimes, abductions, as well as traditional theft, robbery and fraud offenses dropped by 4.7 percent, 40.7 percent, and 21.2 percent year-on-year, respectively, Zhang Ming, spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Security, announced.

In 2025, 210 police officers and 142 auxiliary police officers across China died in the line of duty, Zhang noted.

The annual Chinese People's Police Day will be observed this Saturday. ■