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Litigation · 03 Editorial guide

Litigation

Chinese-court litigation is a jurisdiction, filing, service, evidence, hearing and remedy sequence. Foreign-party status can change document formalities and service timing, but it does not replace the need to test subject-matter, territorial and level jurisdiction.

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

Start here

Start here

Key considerations

The first questions are about urgency, governance and preservation — before collection expands or interviews begin.

  1. Is a Chinese court even seised or available?
  2. What stage is the case at, if any?
  3. What must be filed or answered next?

Decision map

Keep the question bounded.

  1. Confirm the competent courtTest exclusive jurisdiction, valid forum selection, defendant domicile, performance, tort, asset and other statutory connections, plus court level and any specialised court.
  2. Make the filing package usableAlign parties, claims, evidence list, identity and authority documents, translations, service information, fees and any preservation application.
  3. Control service and responseRecord the legally available service channel and actual receipt; track jurisdiction objections, defence, evidence exchange and counterclaim dates separately.
  4. Plan hearing through enforcementBuild an element-by-element proof matrix, address foreign law and overseas evidence where relevant, and draft relief that can be recognised and enforced against identified assets.

Quick answers

Need the short version? Start with one narrow question.

These explainers answer one question. They do not replace this topic route or a deep guide.

Quick AnswerServing a Chinese CompanyA PRC company is served at its registered address or on the legal representative. Service on a random WeChat is not Civil Procedure Law service. Reviewed 6 Sep 2026.Quick AnswerServing a Foreign Company in China LitigationWhen the defendant is a foreign company, a PRC court serves through treaty, diplomatic channels or other Civil Procedure Law methods — not a PDF to a Gmail. Reviewed 6 Sep 2026.Quick AnswerChina Litigation CostsPRC court fees are set on a sliding scale from the claim amount. Each side generally bears its own lawyers; the loser may bear court fees. Reviewed 6 Sep 2026.Quick AnswerChina Court MediationPeople’s courts routinely mediate. A judicial mediation statement is enforceable like a judgment. Private WeChat ‘settlement’ is not. Reviewed 6 Sep 2026.

Curated resources

Open the asset that matches this job.

01
Guide

2023 Civil Procedure Law amendment

Official NPC amendment covering foreign-related jurisdiction, parallel proceedings, recognition and enforcement provisions effective from 2024.

Helpful to prepare

Facts that make the next conversation clearer.

These items are orientation aids, not a legal requirement list.

Jurisdiction clause, statutory connection, court level and exclusive-jurisdiction checkCorrect legal names, registrations, representatives and service addressesClaims, remedies, amount, interest and fee calculationAuthority documents, overseas-document formalities and translationsEvidence index tied to each element and anticipated defencePreservation target, security proposal and post-order steps if urgent relief is sought

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

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

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