The keynote speech session was chaired by Professor Zhou Xin from the School of Law at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies and International Trade. Professors Chen Weidong, Distinguished Chair Professor at Renmin University of China and Executive Vice President of the Chinese Association for Research in Criminal Procedure Law; Xiong Qiuhong, Professor at the Institute of Litigation Law at China University of Political Science and Law and Vice President and Secretary-General of the Chinese Association for Research in Criminal Procedure Law; Wu Qiaobin, Deputy Director of the Office of Legal Policy Research at the Supreme People’s Procuratorate; and Yang Zhikun, Associate Dean and Professor at the Guangdong Institute for Rule of Law at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies and International Trade, each delivered keynote speeches on the theme of “Several Important Issues Concerning the Mechanism for Linking Administrative Enforcement with Criminal Justice.”

Attorney Cheng Xiaolu In the report, taking as an example the once-sensational vaccine case in Changchun, the author explores the conflicts and ways to bridge them in the practical implementation of the criminal-administrative enforcement coordination mechanism. She points out: After a criminal procedure has been initiated, if the administrative authority prematurely imposes the maximum administrative fine of 9.1 billion yuan, does this violate the principle of “criminal proceedings take precedence”? Behind this issue lies a deep-seated tension between “efficiency” and “procedural justice,” and it also serves as a typical microcosm of the blurred boundaries of power in the coordination between criminal and administrative enforcement.

This case highlights two major issues: First, the criteria and timing for initiating criminal proceedings may be influenced by factors such as public opinion; second, there is an overlap between administrative penalties and criminal prosecution procedures, which not only blurs the boundary between administrative and judicial powers but also potentially gives rise to the risk of “double punishment,” causing irreversible harm to the rights and interests of enterprises.

Attorney Cheng emphasized that the strict punishment of illegal acts must be based on strict adherence to procedural rule of law. She called for the establishment of a systematic framework with clearly defined rights and responsibilities and seamless coordination. After an administrative enforcement agency refers a case to the judicial authorities, it shall respect the priority of judicial procedures and, only after the criminal proceedings have concluded, shall it decide in accordance with the law whether and how to impose supplementary administrative penalties (such as disqualification penalties). Only by upholding both substantive and procedural justice can we ensure that each sanction not only demonstrates strength but also stands the test of law and history.

Subsequently conducted The module “Reform and Improvement of the Mechanism for Reverse Coordination Between Administrative Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice” is led by the director of Beijing Xinglai Law Firm, Executive Director, Research Base for Integrated Civil, Criminal, and Administrative Law Studies, School of Criminal Justice, China University of Political Science and Law & Xinglai Law Firm Wang Jun is the host. Professor Liu Jihua from the Law School of Renmin University of China, Professor Yuan Yi from the School of Comparative Law at China University of Political Science and Law, Deputy Director Xiao Yajing of the Second Prosecution Department of the People’s Procuratorate of Baiyun District, Guangzhou, Lecturer Zheng Lizhou from the School of Law at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies and International Trade, and doctoral candidate Tian Yuan from the School of Law at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies and International Trade delivered keynote reports one after another. Associate Professor Xia Wei from the School of Criminal Justice at China University of Political Science and Law and Lecturer Liu Tiantian from the School of Law at Anhui University participated in a panel discussion. The discussion centered on topics such as the coordination of administrative penalties and mechanisms for implementing prosecutorial opinions.

Director Wang Jun emphasized in the opening remarks that, Building a standardized and actionable reverse-handling procedure is an important guarantee for enhancing the overall effectiveness of law enforcement and ensuring that penalties are commensurate with the offenses.

The closing ceremony of the seminar was chaired by Professor Zhou Xin from the School of Law at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies and International Trade. Professor Gao Jingfeng from the School of Law at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies and International Trade delivered a summary of the conference. He highlighted the achievements of this seminar in terms of theoretical breakthroughs and practical advancements, and offered a vision for the institutional development of the future mechanism for coordinating criminal enforcement.

This seminar successfully established a high-level dialogue platform between the academic and practical communities. The participating guests unanimously agreed that perfecting the mechanism for coordinating criminal enforcement is a systematic undertaking that requires coordinated efforts across all stages—legislation, law enforcement, and judicial proceedings—strengthening information sharing, unifying evidentiary standards, refining operational procedures, and fully leveraging the active role of the legal profession community, including lawyers, in facilitating procedural coordination and safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of the parties involved.

Through this conference, Beijing Xinglai Law Firm once again demonstrated its professional strength and forward-looking vision in cross-disciplinary areas such as criminal defense, corporate compliance, and the management of administrative legal risks. Looking ahead, Xinglai Law Firm will continue to deepen its expertise in these fields, actively participate in academic exchanges and legislative discussions, and leverage its professional legal services to enhance the effectiveness of law enforcement and judicial processes, thereby contributing its wisdom and strength to creating a more equitable, transparent, and predictable business environment governed by the rule of law.