guide archive
China Legal Guides - Page 3
Grouped China legal guides for expats covering employment, visas, legal ages, rights, courts, police, business and compliance.
Posts
- Age of Criminal Responsibility in ChinaChina's criminal responsibility rules are age-tiered. The baseline is 16 for full responsibility, 14 to 16 for specified serious crimes, and since 2021 some 12 to 14 cases may be prosecuted for extreme intentional homicide or injury with approval procedures.
- Legal Drinking Age in ChinaMainland China does not operate like the US with a single nationwide drinking-age culture enforced at every bar door. Retail and venue rules, local enforcement, drunk-driving law and school/minor protection matter more than the phrase 'drinking age' alone.
- Smoking and Vaping Age in ChinaTobacco and vaping rules in China focus heavily on sales to minors, advertising, online sales and local smoke-free rules. The national floor is not the whole story because cities can impose stricter public-place smoking controls.
- Driving Age and Licenses in ChinaFor ordinary cars, the practical minimum age is 18, and foreign licenses are not enough by themselves for mainland driving. Expats generally need a Chinese license or temporary driving permit depending on status and vehicle type.
- Tattoo, Clubbing and Dating Ages in ChinaThere is no single neat statute for every youth-culture question. Tattoos, nightlife entry and dating are governed by a mix of minor-protection norms, venue policy, local enforcement and criminal rules around sexual conduct and exploitation.
- Gambling Law in ChinaMost gambling is illegal in mainland China, while Macau is a separate legal environment with licensed casino gambling. Online gambling, organizing gambling trips and payment facilitation can create criminal or administrative risk.
- Crypto and Bitcoin Law in ChinaChina has not legalized ordinary crypto trading in the way many search queries imagine. Authorities have restricted token issuance, exchange services, mining and financial-institution involvement; Hong Kong's regulated crypto framework is separate from mainland China.
- Weed and Drug Law in ChinaCannabis is not legal for recreational use in mainland China. Drug cases can carry severe penalties for foreign nationals, including detention, deportation, employment consequences and long-term immigration records.
- VPN Law in China for ExpatsChina regulates cross-border network access, telecom services and online content. Expats should distinguish ordinary user anecdotes from legal permission, and should get professional compliance advice before providing VPN services or handling company networks.
- China Social Media LawsWeChat posts, chats, videos and platform records can matter as evidence, employment documentation or alleged unlawful online conduct. Expats should treat online messages as records, especially in disputes with employers, schools, landlords or police.
- China Law Enforcement: What Expats Should DoIf police contact you, stay calm, identify the issue, preserve your passport/residence permit information and avoid signing Chinese documents you do not understand. Embassy contact may help with consular access, but it will not remove you from local law.
- Police, Detention and Criminal Procedure in ChinaCriminal procedure has formal stages, but expats should focus on immediate practical safeguards: interpretation, counsel, consular notification, family contact, document copies and not guessing at accusations.