China Reports Drop in H1 2026 Crime Rates and Links 110 and 12345 Hotlines

China's Ministry of Public Security reported significant declines in national crime statistics for the first half of 2026, alongside progress in civic administrative systems. Speaking at a July 24 press conference, Deputy Minister Qi Yanjun stated that criminal cases fell 16.5% year-on-year, while administrative public security cases dropped 11.3%. Simultaneously, authorities announced that the integration between the national 110 emergency police response line and local 12345 government service hotlines has been basically completed across the country.

The sustained drop in criminal and public security offenses reflects ongoing social governance strategies, while integrating emergency response lines with civic service hotlines is intended to streamline public administration and optimize law enforcement resource allocation.

China recorded a notable drop in both criminal and public security offenses during the first half of 2026, alongside progress in integrating its emergency and public service hotlines nationwide, according to official data released by the Ministry of Public Security. Speaking at a State Council Information Office press conference on July 24, 2026, Qi Yanjun, Deputy Minister of Public Security in charge of daily operations, announced that criminal cases across the country declined by 16.5% year-on-year during the first six months of 2026. Over the same period, administrative public security cases decreased by 11.3% compared to the previous year. Qi stated that overall social stability continues to improve across the country. He also noted that public perception of public safety in China—often framed in official statements as a "Chinese-style sense of security"—has become a widely discussed topic on overseas social media platforms. Alongside the lower crime metrics, the Ministry of Public Security reported significant progress in administrative reform aimed at streamlining emergency response systems. The ministry confirmed that China has now basically achieved full nationwide integration and linkage between its 110 police emergency response line and local 12345 government service hotlines. The dual-hotline mechanism aims to divert non-emergency civic inquiries and administrative requests from the 110 emergency line to the 12345 public service network. By establishing direct routing between emergency response dispatchers and municipal service centers, authorities seek to optimize resource allocation, reduce police response times, and resolve non-criminal disputes before they escalate. While official communications highlight positive safety trends, detailed breakdowns regarding specific offense categories, such as telecom fraud or cross-border crime, were not detailed in the initial briefing. Nevertheless, the newly released data highlights the government's focus on social governance efficiency as a cornerstone of long-term public stability.