China Justice Observer

中司观察

EnglishArabicChinese (Simplified)DutchFrenchGermanHindiItalianJapaneseKoreanPortugueseRussianSpanishSwedishHebrewIndonesianVietnameseThaiTurkishMalay

SPC Releases Typical Cases on Yellow River Protection

Tue, 20 Aug 2024
Categories: China Legal Trends

On 29 May 2024, China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) released a batch of typical cases illustrating judicial efforts for the ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin.

The release of these cases coincides with the first anniversary of the implementation of the “Yellow River Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China” (中华人民共和国黄河保护法). The ten cases focus on prominent issues such as water and sediment regulation, flood control and safety, and pollution prevention and control in the Yellow River Basin, covering civil public interest litigation, administrative public interest litigation, and criminal litigation.

For example, Case No. 5 is an environmental administrative public interest litigation for administrative authority’s failure to fulfill its duty to manage household waste in the area of Ruoergai National Park, which is renowned as “China’s most beautiful alpine wetland.”

In September 2022, the Aba County Procuratorate in Sichuan Province filed a public interest lawsuit against the local administrative authority due to the severe accumulation of household waste in the Ruoergai National Park area, which had adversely affected local residents’ lives, the surrounding environment, and the safety of the Yellow River’s water body.

During the lawsuit, the court urged the administrative authority to take measures to address the waste management issue near the river. A follow-up visit in November 2022 confirmed that the problematic landfill had been fully rectified, eliminating the threat to public interest. As a result, the procuratorate considered that the purpose of the litigation had been realized and then applied to withdraw the lawsuit, which the court approved after review. This case demonstrates the collaborative efforts of judicial and administrative bodies to achieve ecological restoration.

 

 

Photo by kuaileqie RE on Unsplash

Contributors: CJO Staff Contributors Team

Save as PDF

You might also like

SPP Releases Guiding Cases on Civil Adjudication Supervision

In March 2025, China’s Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP) released new guiding cases to strengthen supervision over civil judgments, ensuring fairness and correcting errors in court rulings, covering disputes like private loans and traffic accidents.

First Tort Suit Under China’s Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law

In March 2025, China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) reported the first-ever tort suit under the Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law, enabling a Chinese firm to recover over CNY 84 million after a European partner withheld payment invoking a third country’s sanctions.

ABLI-HCCH webinar: Cross-Border Commercial Dispute Resolution – Electronic Service of Documents and Remote Taking of Evidence (July 10, 2025)

The Asian Business Law Institute (ABLI) and the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) will host their fourth joint webinar on July 10, 2024 (5:00–6:10 PM SGT), focusing on electronic service of documents and remote taking of evidence under the Service and Evidence Conventions, featuring expert speakers, with an early bird discount available until June 10.

China Tightens Corporate Personal Data Audit Rules

In February 2025, China's Cyberspace Administration issued the "Measures for the Administration of Personal Information Protection Compliance Audits", effective May 1, 2025, mandating regular audits for companies, especially those processing data of over 10 million individuals, to ensure transparency and legality in personal data handling.

SPC Releases Typical Cases on Telecom Fraud Crimes

In February 2025, China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) released eight typical telecom fraud cases, exposing new criminal methods and highlighting intensified judicial efforts after handling 31,000 such cases in 2023.

SPC Targets Cyber Extortion with Typical Cases

In February 2025, China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) released six typical cases showcasing its crackdown on emerging cyber extortion crimes, including spreading rumors and sextortion, to encourage victims to seek legal protection.