China Sees First Decline in Court Verdict Non-Compliance in a Decade

The Supreme People's Court of China announced on Monday that the number of individuals and organizations failing to comply with court verdicts decreased in 2024, marking the first decline in a decade. This positive trend reflects the courts' increased focus on enforcing rulings nationwide.

China has implemented a reform initiative aimed at improving the efficiency of handling significant, complex cases and long-unresolved verdicts. This reform strengthens judicial oversight and encourages collaboration between courts. The goal is to protect the rights of those involved in legal proceedings and to enhance the credibility of the judicial system.

The reform, initiated a year and a half ago, has yielded notable results. By the end of March, nearly 300,000 cases had been resolved, with approximately 160 billion yuan ($22.6 billion) enforced.

Those who fail to adhere to court rulings, such as debtors who do not fulfill their obligations, are added to a public "dishonest list." This list includes their names and identification details. The purpose of this measure is to encourage compliance with court decisions and to support China's social credit system.

The court reported that the number of individuals restoring their credit by complying with verdicts has exceeded the number of new additions to the dishonest list. This trend is seen as a positive factor in stimulating market activity and fostering stable economic growth.

In the first quarter of 2024, the number of new entries on the dishonest list decreased by 9 percent compared to the same period the previous year. The court is also emphasizing the importance of judges maintaining proper conduct when enforcing rulings to ensure the quality of enforcement.

Over the past ten years, China has been strengthening its credit system. In 2024, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate issued a judicial interpretation clarifying criminal penalties for those who refuse to comply with court rulings. This is intended to better protect the rights of those who win lawsuits.