2026 Shenzhen Coming-of-Age Ceremony Tenth Anniversary Celebration: When the 18-Year-Old Coming-of-Age Ceremony Meets Legal Adulthood, Lawyers Explain in Detail Three Major Legal Significances
On September 23, the 2026 Shenzhen Coming-of-Age Ceremony will be held in the concert hall of the new campus of Luohu Foreign Language School. Hosted by the Publicity Department of the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee, the Cyberspace Administration of the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee, the Education Working Committee of the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee, and the Communist Youth League Shenzhen Municipal Committee, this event marks its tenth edition this year. Over the past decade, the ceremony has witnessed countless youth of the special economic zone step from adolescence into adulthood. But many people do not know that turning 18 is not only a ceremonial milestone, but also a major legal watershed—from this moment on, you will independently bear full legal responsibility. As practicing lawyers in Shenzhen, we often find in handling cases that many young people who have just turned 18 are completely unaware of the changes in their rights and obligations, and only regret it when they become involved in disputes or face legal consequences. Today, from a legal perspective, let us talk about what turning 18 really means.
I. At 18: From a person with limited capacity for civil conduct to a person with full capacity for civil conduct
Article 17 of the Civil Code of the People's Republic of China explicitly provides: A natural person aged 18 or above is an adult. A natural person under the age of 18 is a minor. Article 18 further provides: An adult has full capacity for civil conduct and may independently perform civil juristic acts. What does this mean? Simply put, before age 18, contracts you sign may need to be ratified by your parents to be valid; after age 18, every contract you sign, every loan you take, and every purchase you make is fully legally binding.
Shenzhen, as a young city, sees a large number of young people who have just turned 18 enter society every year. We have encountered many cases: young people who have just turned 18 being induced to sign high-amount training loan contracts, young people acting as loan guarantors for friends without knowing the consequences, and young people discovering only after signing electronic agreements on online platforms that the terms are harsh. The common thread in these disputes is that the parties mistakenly believe they are still “children” and that the law will give them special protection. But legally, after you turn 18, you are a fully independent civil subject and must take responsibility for every decision you make.
It is worth noting that, under Article 18, Paragraph 2 of the Civil Code, a minor aged 16 or older whose main source of livelihood is his or her own labor income is regarded as a person with full capacity for civil conduct. This is especially important in a city like Shenzhen, where young people start businesses and enter employment early. If you are under 18 but already make a living independently, you must likewise bear full civil liability under the law.
II. The Red Line of the Age of Criminal Responsibility: Legal Consequences Differ Markedly Before and After Age 18
Article 17 of the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China provides for the age of criminal responsibility: A person who has reached the age of 16 and commits a crime shall bear criminal responsibility. A person who has reached the age of 14 but not the age of 16 and commits intentional homicide, intentional injury causing serious injury or death, rape, robbery, drug trafficking, arson, explosion, or the crime of spreading dangerous substances shall bear criminal responsibility. A person who has reached the age of 18 and commits a crime shall be held criminally responsible entirely according to adult standards.
There is a key distinction here: for a person under the age of 18 who is held criminally responsible in accordance with the provisions of the preceding three paragraphs, the punishment shall be lighter or mitigated. In other words, there may be significant differences in sentencing for crimes committed before and after the age of 18. In criminal defense practice, Shenzhen lawyers often encounter cases in which young people who have just turned 18 break the law on a momentary impulse. For example, picking quarrels and provoking trouble, the crime of aiding information network criminal activities (the crime of helping information network criminal activities), theft, and so on. These young people often think, "I am still a student" or "I have just reached adulthood," but the law will not grant extra leniency just because they have "just reached adulthood."
In recent years, the crime of assisting information network criminal activities has been highly prevalent among young people in Shenzhen. Many young people who have just turned 18 sell or rent their bank cards and SIM cards to others, thinking they are merely earning some pocket money, unaware that they have already committed a crime. Under Article 287-2 of the Criminal Law, whoever knowingly provides assistance such as payment settlement to another person who uses an information network to commit a crime, if the circumstances are serious, shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years or criminal detention, and shall also be fined or shall be fined only. After turning 18, the legal consequences of such conduct will be borne entirely by the person concerned.
III. The Awakening of Rights in Adulthood: Legal Protection in Labor, Consumption, and Marriage
After turning 18, you acquire full capacity for labor rights. Under Article 15 of the Labor Law of the People's Republic of China, employers are prohibited from recruiting minors under the age of 16. After turning 18, however, you may sign formal labor contracts and enjoy full rights such as social insurance and paid annual leave. But rights and obligations are reciprocal—you must also fulfill all the obligations of a worker.
In the consumer sphere, the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Consumer Rights and Interests provides protection for all consumers, but after you turn 18, you no longer enjoy the special protections unique to minors. As a city with active consumption, Shenzhen has no shortage of consumer traps for young people: prepaid consumption providers absconding, online shopping disputes, medical aesthetics loans, and more. Once you reach adulthood, you must bear the legal consequences of these consumer actions yourself.
With respect to marriage, Article 1047 of the Civil Code provides that the age for marriage shall be no earlier than 22 for a man and no earlier than 20 for a woman. Although a person is an adult at 18, he or she has not yet reached the statutory age for marriage. Shenzhen lawyers remind that if persons who have not reached the statutory age for marriage live together as husband and wife, this does not constitute a legal marital relationship, and the rights and obligations of both parties cannot be fully protected under marriage law.
IV. Lawyer's Advice: Three Most Important Legal Basics to Learn at an 18-Year-Old's Coming-of-Age Ceremony
As lawyers who have practiced in Shenzhen for many years, we suggest that every young person who has just turned 18 should give themselves a legal lesson while celebrating their coming-of-age ceremony.
First, read carefully before signing. Once you reach adulthood, your signature has full legal effect. Whether it is an employment contract, a lease contract, a loan agreement, or an online platform’s user agreement, you must read the key terms before signing, especially those concerning amounts, duration, and liability for breach of contract. In Shenzhen legal practice, a large number of contract disputes arise because parties did not read carefully when signing.
Second, keep personal identification documents and accounts safe. Bank cards, mobile phone cards, ID cards, and WeChat and Alipay accounts are not only tools for daily life but also carriers of legal responsibility. Lending or selling these documents and accounts may give rise to criminal liability. In recent years, Shenzhen has continuously intensified its crackdown on two-card crimes, and young people must remain vigilant.
Third, seek timely advice when you encounter legal issues. After you turn 18, you may encounter various legal issues such as labor disputes, consumer rights protection, and contract disputes. Do not delay because you “fear trouble” or “think the matter is not serious.” Guangdong Zhiming Law Firm is located in Shenzhen and has long provided legal consultation and dispute resolution services to individuals and businesses. We advise young people, when they encounter legal confusion, to seek professional lawyers’ advice as early as possible to avoid small problems turning into big trouble.
A coming-of-age ceremony is a ritual; reaching legal adulthood is a responsibility. Shenzhen is known for its youth and vitality, but in a society under the rule of law, the foundation of youth always includes respect for rules. May every young person in the Special Economic Zone who has gone through a coming-of-age ceremony not only look up at the stars and pursue dreams but also keep their feet on the ground and abide by the law, so that they may walk more steadily and farther on the new journey of life.
