Short answer: anyone, Chinese citizen or foreigner, can report a crime in China by calling the police on 110 or going to a public security office, and the authorities are legally required to accept the report.
The legal basis
The Criminal Procedure Law sets out the framework. Article 110 gives every individual and every unit both the right and the duty to report a crime or a suspect to a public security organ, a people’s procuratorate or a people’s court. Article 82 allows any citizen to seize a person caught in the act or freshly pursued and hand them to the authorities.
Obligations follow. Article 112 requires the receiving organ to accept a report, examine it, and decide whether to open a case; if it decides not to file, it must notify the complainant, who may then apply for reconsideration. Article 113 adds supervision: if the public security organ should have filed but did not, the procuratorate can require it to explain and then order the case to be filed.
What this means in practice
Do not wait for a perfect case. Report early, in writing where possible, and keep a copy. Give dates, names, amounts and any evidence. If you are the victim, you can attach a claim for your losses. If the police decline to act, the written notice you receive is the key document for a reconsideration request or a procuratorate complaint. As a foreigner, you may ask for interpretation and, if detained as a suspect, consular notification.
A short scenario
Suppose a foreign resident is defrauded of 80,000 yuan through a fake investment platform (hypothetical). Reporting to the local public security bureau with bank records triggers an examination; if the bureau declines to open a case, the refusal notice lets the victim seek reconsideration or ask the procuratorate to supervise.
Q: Can a foreigner report a crime in China?
A: Yes. Article 110 applies to everyone, regardless of nationality.
Q: Where do I report?
A: Call 110 or report in person to a public security organ; procuratorates and courts also accept reports.
Q: What if the police refuse to open a case?
A: You receive a written notice and may seek reconsideration, or ask the procuratorate to supervise under Article 113.
Q: Can I get in trouble for reporting?
A: Not for an honest report, but deliberately filing a false report can itself carry legal consequences.
The takeaway: reporting a crime in China is a right and a duty open to everyone, so act early, document everything, and use Article 112 if you are turned away.
Wang Guan | Co-founder, Beijing Haolue Law Firm | +86 17813108512