BDSM in Shanghai, China

In mainland China both selling and buying sex are prohibited. Under the Public Security Administration Punishments Law, as revised on 27 June 2025 and in force since 1 January 2026, the police may detain anyone who sells or buys sex for 10 to 15 days and fine them up to 5,000 yuan (up to 5 days or 1,000 yuan in minor cases); soliciting in public carries up to 5 days or 1,000 yuan. The revision also requires records of such public-order violations to be sealed. "Custody and education" (收容教育), a form of administrative detention for people who sold or bought sex, was abolished from 29 December 2019. Organising or forcing prostitution carries 5 to 10 years and up to life, and inducing, harbouring or introducing prostitution up to 5 years or more under the Criminal Law; posting prostitution solicitation information online can be prosecuted as illegal use of an information network. Source: Prostitution Laws (prostitutionlaws.org), https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/china/, reviewed 2026-10-30, CC BY 4.0.