China’s top judicial authorities have issued new guidance aimed at strengthening the prosecution of corruption cases involving intermediaries, as part of efforts to tackle what they describe as “new and hidden forms of corruption”.
The clarification was released on Friday in a judicial interpretation jointly issued by the Supreme People’s Court and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate.
In the document, the two top judicial bodies outlined how criminal law should be applied across the entire corruption chain, stressing that enforcement must cover not only direct bribe-givers and recipients but also intermediaries, officials, and management personnel who facilitate or enable such transactions.
The guidance is intended to close legal loopholes in complex corruption cases and ensure accountability for all participants in corrupt networks, regardless of their role.
It also reflects Beijing’s continued push to tighten its broader anti-graft campaign, which has intensified in recent years as authorities seek to curb systemic corruption and strengthen governance standards across public institutions.
