In 1992, Shanghai established the first private investigation agency in China: "Shanghai Social Security Consulting and Investigation Office". A year later, the Ministry of Public Security issued a document prohibiting the establishment of private investigation agencies, and this institution has since been abolished.
On March 1, 1993, the private investigation agency: "Chengdu Cooperative Affairs Investigation Institute" was born.
In 1993, China's first anti-commercial fraud investigation agency, Beijing Stel Business Investigation Center, was established.
On September 7, 1993, the Ministry of Public Security promulgated the "Notice on Prohibiting the Establishment of Private Investigation Agencies", which strictly prohibits any unit or individual from opening various forms of private investigation institutes such as civil affairs investigation offices. ”
In 1994, China's first intellectual property protection investigation agency, Zoomlion Intellectual Property Investigation Center, was established.
On June 16, 2000, the first advanced academic seminar on civil investigation initiated by private investigation institutions was held in Beijing.
On March 16, 2001, the "Several Provisions of the Supreme People's Court on Evidence in Civil Litigation" was promulgated, which came into force on April 1, 2002. The latest rules on evidence in civil litigation allow privately recorded audio and video recordings to be used as "testimony in court".
In August 2002, according to the requirements of the Nice Alliance, the World Trademark and Intellectual Property Professional Organization, the Trademark Office of the State Administration for Industry and Commerce included "detective company" in the new "Classification List of Trademarks for Goods and Services", allowing the registration of the "detective company" trademark.
On December 7, 2002, the "2002 China Business Information Survey Industry Seminar" was held in Chongqing.
In November 2002, the Luzhou Court in Sichuan Province set a precedent and rewarded "private detectives for catching Lao Lai". "Detective companies" appropriately intervene in civil investigations of public power to make up for the lack of public power, which is conducive to the positive side of society being recognized by the people's courts.
In February 2004, CCTV2 Economics and Law reported on Chinese private detectives, and private detectives gradually surfaced. Video: Approaching Private Detectives 1; Approaching Private Detectives 2; Private Detective 3 Where are Chinese private detectives going?
On December 16, 2010, China's first "private detective illegally obtained personal information" was sentenced, and the detective industry was no longer a gray area but entered a "black zone".