By Wu Wei and Su Shaohua King & Wood’s Dispute Resolution Group

Under China’s anti-bribery laws, the value of bribes in commercial bribery cases is calculated on a cumulative basis in the conviction and sentencing process. However, such calculations may yield varying results in practice. According to our experience, due to a lack of clarity in the law and various policy rationale for fighting corruption, cumulative calculations give rise to risks of criminal liability, whether seen as accepting or offering bribes.

I. Calculation of Value for Bribes Accepted

A. Legislation

a. The second paragraph of Article 383 of the Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China(1) ("Criminal Law") provides:" Toward those who have committed repeated crimes of graft, all amounts of graft of unhandled cases are to be added in meting out punishment." Article 386 of Criminal Law provides:" whoever commits the crime of accepting bribes is to be punished on the basis of Article 383 of this law according to the amount of bribes and the circumstances. A heavier punishment shall be given where a bribe was specifically demanded."Continue Reading Calculation of Value in Commercial Bribery Cases