China Inbound Legal Guides · Dispute Resolution

Dispute Resolution

A clause is not a recovery plan. Preserve evidence, consider asset preservation, then litigation or arbitration, then enforce.

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Forum, evidence, interim relief, or enforcement? Open the matching topic route or counsel — this hub does not decide the legal outcome on your facts.

China dispute-resolution route covering assessment, evidence, litigation, arbitration and enforcement.

StagesAssess → preserve → forum → enforce

UpdatedAugust 2026

AudienceCompanies, claimants, respondents and in-house counsel

Preservation and procedural deadlines

Delay can prejudice evidence, assets, interim relief or a limitation period. This is a clock, not a family-safety route.

Open interim measures

Signature · Forum + evidence + asset recovery map

Forum choice is worthless without evidence and a recovery path.

claim → evidence → interim → process → decision → recovery

Proceeding stages

What stage is the dispute at?

Start with the situation

Forum, evidence, interim relief, or enforcement?

Each topic owns one bounded decision, then connects to deeper guides, local context or counsel. This hub does not duplicate long-form analysis.

Assess

Early case assessment

Claims, defenses, forum, limitation periods and commercial objectives.

First jobIdentify the claim, forum options, deadlines and preservation needs.

Open topic route

Evidence

Evidence & preservation

Documents, witnesses, digital evidence, notarisation and preservation strategy.

First jobPreserve material evidence before it is lost or procedurally difficult to use.

Open topic route

Litigation

Jurisdiction, filing, service, hearings, judgments and procedural stages.

First jobConfirm jurisdiction and current procedural stage before planning the next filing.

Open topic route

Arbitration

Agreement scope, institution, seat, procedure, interim relief and awards.

First jobTest the arbitration agreement and procedural route before taking action.

Open topic route

05Priority screen

Interim

Interim measures

Asset, evidence and conduct preservation before or during proceedings.

First jobIdentify what must be preserved, available forum and timing constraints.

Open topic route

Enforce

Judgment & award enforcement

Recognition, enforcement assets, procedural steps and cross-border issues.

First jobIdentify the instrument, enforcement forum and reachable assets.

Open topic route

Common entry points

Already know what is happening?

01A dispute has just arisenStart with claims, forum, deadlines and evidence preservation.02Evidence or assets may disappearStart with preservation and interim-measure options.03We already have a judgment or awardStart with recognition, enforcement forum and assets.

Curated resources

Go deeper without losing the route.

Long-form analysis lives on canonical guides. This hub only points.

core guide

China dispute resolution law

National recovery map for forum, preservation, litigation, arbitration and enforcement.

checklist

Prepare a dispute-resolution enquiry

Organise high-level, non-confidential dispute facts before counsel or Ask a Lawyer.

deep guide

Pre-litigation asset preservation in China

Asset preservation before or at the start of proceedings, when delay can move the asset.

deep guide

Civil litigation procedure in Chinese courts

Jurisdiction, filing, service and hearing stages for foreign parties.

deep guide

Commercial arbitration in China through CIETAC

Institution, seat and clause questions before an arbitration is started.

deep guide

Enforcing foreign judgments in China

Recognition, assets and procedure when the instrument already exists.

Local context

Add the forum city only when procedure changes.

Court, arbitration institution and preservation practice can differ after the national route is identified.

Open city and province guides

Counsel hand-off

Need disputes counsel?

This hub maps proceeding stage, evidence and forum. It does not decide claims, strategy or outcome on your facts.

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