Criminal gangs are found throughout Mainland China but are most active in Chongqing, Shanghai, Macau, Tianjin, Shenyang, and Guangzhou. Some are also active in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. The number of people involved in organized crime on the mainland has risen from around 100,000 in 1986 to around 1.5 million in the year 2000. Since the new century, there are two academic books focusing on Chinese organized crime. Based on rich empirical work, these books offer how Chinese criminal organizations survive in the changing socio-economic and political environment. Y. K. Chu's Triads as Business looks at the role of Hong Kong Triads in legal, illegal and international markets. Peng Wang's The Chinese Mafia examines the rise of mainland Chinese organized crime and the political-criminal nexus (collusion between gangs and corrupt police officers) in reform and opening era of China.

Triad societies

The following is a list of Chinese triad societies:

Criminally influenced tongs

Gangs

Currently active groups in Mainland China