(Selected from the translated work titled The Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China, authored by Robert Zhang and Steve Li, criminal defense lawyers registered in Shanghai, China.)
Article 12 [Retroactivity] Where an act was committed after the founding of the People's Republic of China and before the enactment of this Law, the law then in force shall apply if the act was not defined as a crime under the law then in force, and criminal penalties shall be imposed in accordance with the law then in force if the act was defined as a crime under the law then in force and is within the statute of limitations in accordance with the provisions of Section 8 of Chapter 4 of this Law; provided, however, that if the act is not defined as a crime or the term of sentence for the crime is short under this Law, this law shall apply.
A valid decree made in accordance with the law then in force before enactment of this Law shall remain valid.
