Family members say “no one will be safe” or “I’ll take the kids and leave” — don’t dismiss this as anger: close relatives can take such a person to the hospital, and police must respond to any emergency call.

15. Family members say “no one will be safe” or “I’ll take the kids and leave” — don’t dismiss this as anger: close relatives can take such a person to the hospital, and police must respond to any emergency call.

Cost: Registration and consultation fees range from a few dozen to several hundred yuan. Accompanying the person to the hospital takes half a day to a full day. The real challenge is getting them to agree to go.

In plain terms: When family members say things like “no one will be safe” or “I’ll take the kids and leave,” close relatives have the right to take that person to a hospital, where treatment cannot be refused. If there has already been violence or an imminent risk of harm, hospitalization does not require the person’s consent. If it’s unclear whether these statements are just angry outbursts or genuine threats, call 12356 for advice or dial 110 so police can intervene. Keeping this information secret does not help the person at all.

Benefit: Article 28, paragraph 2 of the Mental Health Law states: “When a suspected mental disorder patient exhibits behavior that harms themselves or others, or shows a clear risk of doing so, their close relatives, employer, or local police must act immediately to stop such behavior and arrange transport to a medical facility for diagnosis.” The same article also requires hospitals to accept and diagnose any such patients without refusal. Article 29 mandates that hospitals admit these individuals right away, assign a licensed psychiatrist for evaluation, and issue a diagnosis promptly. Article 30 says voluntary admission is the norm, except in cases where the diagnosis confirms a severe mental disorder accompanied by actual or imminent harm to others — in such cases, involuntary hospitalization is permitted. Making threats of violence is grounds for calling 110. Writing threatening letters or using other means to endanger someone’s safety can result in detention for up to five days or a fine of up to 1000 yuan. Those who threaten to commit arson, explosions, or other acts endangering public safety face detention from five to ten days and a similar fine (effective January 1, 2026 under China’s Public Security Administration Punishment Law).

Evidence grade: A

Sources: National People's Congress Standing Committee (2025). Public Security Management Punishment Law (2025 revision, Article 29, 50). <https://www.spp.gov.cn/spp/fl/202506/t20250627_699863.shtml>; National People's Congress Standing Committee (2012, 2018 revision). Mental Health Law (28, 2018). Articles 29, 30, 35). <https://www.gov.cn/guoqing/2021-10/29/content_5647635.htm>; French Air Accident Investigation Bureau BEA (2016). Final Report BEA2015-0125.en: Accident on 24 March 2015 at Prads-Haute-Bléone to the Airbus A320-211 registered D-AIPX operated by Germanwings. <https://bea.aero/uploads/tx_elydbrapports/BEA2015-0125.en-LR.pdf>

Notes: This guidance applies to spouses, parents, and children living in the same household. The phrase “no one will be safe” clearly includes the speaker, and the law grants this right specifically to close relatives — outsiders cannot intervene without police involvement. This rule targets genuine danger signs, not angry remarks during arguments or attempts to force uncooperative family members into treatment. Conversely, Article 35 states that if further evaluation proves the person does not have a serious mental disorder, they must be released from the hospital. When in doubt, call 12356 or 110. The investigation into Germanwings Flight 9525 revealed that authorities and employers could not prevent the co-pilot from flying that day because “neither he nor anyone else — doctors, colleagues, or family — informed them of his condition.” All 150 people on board perished: two pilots, four flight attendants, and 144 passengers. Keeping such risks hidden is never helpful.