China bars defaulters from taking high-speed trains

High-speed train G422, which travels to Beijing, is set to leave Nanning, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, Sept 25, 2014. Starting operation on Sept 25, the train will cut the travel time between the two cities to 13 hours and 30 minutes. [Photo/China News Service]

BEIJING - People who fail to fulfill court orders will be barred from taking high-speed trains, the Supreme People's Court (SPC) announced in its latest move to punish defaulters on Tuesday.

The SPC has extended penalty restrictions laid on defaulters to high-expenditure consumption, and consumption not necessary to sustain normal life or businesses, according to a judicial interpretation which will take effect on Wednesday.

When a corporation becomes a defaulter, its legal representatives, chief executives and those directly responsible for fulfilling the obligation will be subject to the same restrictions as individual defaulters, said Liu Guixiang, an SPC official.

If people default on emergency money, including child-rearing fees, medical fees or work remuneration, to an extent that it can be regarded as a criminal offense, they will receive heavy penalties, according to the SPC.

Since a nation-wide crackdown on defaulters was launched in November 2014, which lasted until June 30, courts at all levels sentenced 864 defaulters, including 706 guilty of refusing to execute court orders, 47 guilty of hampering public affairs, 93 guilty of illegally handling sealed or frozen assets, as well as 18 others.