China Litigation Costs

Court fees follow the claim amount — they are not US-style fee-shifting of all lawyer time.

Accepting a civil case requires an acceptance fee calculated from the amount in dispute on a national schedule (plus possible preservation, expert and enforcement fees). The loser commonly bears court fees; lawyer fees are usually each party’s own unless a contract or statute says otherwise. Reducing the claim to save fees can cap recovery. Foreign parties may need to consider security for costs in some settings. This page does not reprint the fee table — it moves by notice. Arbitration costs are a different schedule.