"I left my phone on the table, and no one took it!" In September this year, a Russian journalist who was covering events in China left his phone behind in a hotel restaurant while going for a run. Upon returning, he discovered it missing and immediately contacted the front desk. Staff swiftly verified his identity and returned the phone within five minutes. He later shared this experience during interviews, praising China's public safety standards. In fact, as China's openness continues to expand in recent years, an increasing number of foreigners have personally experienced "safe China." Their firsthand accounts showcase a genuinely secure China to the world, vividly confirming that "China is one of the safest countries in the world."
Latest international polls and authoritative data: China has lowest crime and homicide rates
In a recent signed article about safe China, Chen Wenqing, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission, released a set of authoritative data. Combined with the continuously growing wave of visitors to China and international public opinion surveys, these elements clearly present the true picture of a safe China to the world.
This data indicates that China is now one of the safest countries in the world, with public satisfaction regarding safety maintaining above 98% for five consecutive years. China ranks among nations with the lowest criminal rates globally. In 2024, the number of registered criminal cases decreased by 25.7% year-on-year, marking the lowest level since the beginning of this century. In the first half of 2025, this figure further declined by 11.6% year-on-year. China ranks among nations with the lowest homicide rates and highest clearance rates, with 0.44 homicides per 100,000 people in 2024 and a clearance rate of 99.94%. It also has one of the lowest rates of firearm and explosive crimes, with such offenses decreasing by 37.5% year-on-year in 2024. The article emphasizes that China's commitment to comprehensive governance has continuously elevated overall public security prevention and control capabilities.
Confidence stems from hard data and governance outcomes
The confidence in security originates from tangible hard data and governance outcomes. Since the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, a governance approach combining leniency and strictness with punishment and prevention has been implemented. Routine efforts to crack down on organized crime, rigorously combat cross-border telecom fraud under the law, and deepen the legal governance of drunk driving have been carried out. From targeted crackdowns to systemic governance, these measures comprehensively safeguard the lives and property of the people. Data from mainland procuratorates shows that over 67,000 individuals have been prosecuted for telecom fraud crimes since 2024. Recently, police extradited She Zhijiang, the mastermind behind the Myanmar-based "KK Park" gambling and fraud syndicate, back to China. These targeted operations against cross-border telecom fraud have yielded significant results, continuously enhancing public security and fostering a clear and healthy environment for social development.
US poll: China ranks third in global safety
China's security capabilities have earned not only high recognition from its own citizens but also widespread praise from the international community. The latest 2025 global safety report released by the renowned US polling firm Gallup indicates that China is among the world's safest countries. The report further indicates that, based on surveys of 145,000 adults across 144 countries and regions, China ranks third in overall global safety and fourth in the law and order index, with both rankings significantly outperforming major Western nations. Notably, regarding nighttime safety for solo travelers, only 73% of adults globally feel secure walking alone at night. Yet Chinese women report a far greater sense of safety when traveling late at night compared to many high-income economies. Industry experts note that this international assessment aligns sharply with China's governance practices and data, forming the "security code" that powerfully demonstrates the essence of "Chinese-style security."
In recent years, this security dividend has translated into a powerful magnet for international exchanges. Data from the National Immigration Administration for the third quarter of this year shows that 20.134 million foreign nationals entered and exited China through all ports, a year-on-year increase of 22.3%. Among them, 7.246 million foreign nationals entered visa-free, a significant year-on-year increase of 48.3%. In the first half of this year, the cumulative number of foreign nationals inspected entering and exiting China reached 38.053 million, a year-on-year increase of 30.2%.
Safety emerges as core competitive advantage for global tourism
From foreign bloggers posting videos praising "China's safety"—highlighting unclaimed lost phones and laptops, or women walking alone at night—to Spanish-speaking tourists sharing experiences of "traveling with peace of mind whether in groups or solo," safety has become a key competitive advantage in attracting global visitors to China. The latest official data released by China shows that by the end of 2024, China had attracted over US$100 billion in foreign investment for 15 consecutive years and made over US$100 billion in outbound investment for 12 consecutive years. This is precisely the successful model of global security governance that China has demonstrated through concrete actions.
Foreign tourists praise "safe China"
Andrew, a Spanish tourist: "China is one of the safest travel destinations. This sense of security stems from robust security measures and the friendliness of locals—I felt completely at ease traveling solo throughout my trip."
Mexican freelancer Casillas: "My travel safety experience exceeded expectations. I specifically filmed unlocked motorcycles parked in residential complexes—a scene unimaginable back home—which garnered widespread online praise.
American exchange student Emily: "Women feel completely safe walking alone at night. I've taken late-night strolls through neighborhoods without unease. Once, I left an item behind and retrieved it within 10 minutes."
Thai travel blogger Sangkun: "Property safety at tourist sites is well-protected. At popular attractions, you don't need to constantly watch your backpack, and staff patrol frequently."
Decoding "safe China": Four-pronged approach yields results
"China's rise as one of the world's safest nations hinges on its 'safe China' initiative, which has established a comprehensive, multi-faceted, and technology-enabled social governance system." Li Xuening, a member of the Legal Committee of the Central Committee of the Jiusan Society, stated in an interview with Hong Kong Wen Wei Po that from grassroots practices to top-level design, and from targeted campaigns to long-term mechanisms, the safe China initiative has forged a uniquely Chinese path to social governance through multi-faceted coordination, precision-targeted efforts, technological empowerment, and legal safeguards. This approach represents the core secret to China's sustained security and stability.
Li emphasized that the key to building a safe China lies in perfecting the governance framework of "Party committee leadership, government responsibility, social coordination, and public participation." This involves advancing grassroots governance through the central social work department, implementing three-tier coordination mechanisms at provincial, municipal, and county levels, and extending the ruling party's organizational reach into emerging sectors like new economic entities and social organizations. Such measures ensure governance remains on track with unwavering intensity. Simultaneously, it has moved beyond a single-minded control mindset to drive the transformation from "social management" to "social governance."
Second, addressing core security challenges requires source governance and targeted measures. Li told Hong Kong Wen Wei Po that the core of governance effectiveness lies in shifting from "firefighting" responses to preemptive prevention. While routinely conducting campaigns against organized crime and cracking down on prominent issues like telecom fraud and firearms/explosives crimes, China deepens specialized governance—such as legally addressing drunk driving—to precisely address public concerns. Concurrently, mechanisms like "monthly focus issues" and "preemptive action before complaints" use targeted services to mitigate potential risks, according to Li.
"Third, technological empowerment and legal safeguards elevate the modernization of governance," Li stated. China is digitizing the construction of a safe China, leveraging computational power to replace manpower and enhance prevention and control effectiveness, while using the rule of law to define governance boundaries. The rule of law not only punishes crime but also provides stable expectations for social order. Intelligent governance and legal safeguards complement each other, making security defenses more robust and governance more efficient.
"Fourth is a people-centered approach and public participation to build the strongest synergy for governance." In Li's view, the safe China initiative consistently prioritizes the people. By facilitating open channels for participation, it fosters a shared societal consensus that "everyone has a responsibility and everyone fulfills their duty." This model of collective construction and shared benefits safeguards the peaceful lives of Chinese citizens while attracting increasing numbers of foreigners to China, who affirm the country's secure environment through their actions, Li said.
(Source: Wen Wei Po; English Intern Editor: Vesper; English Editor: Kiki)
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