Debtors can volunteer; creditors can petition when statutory tests are met — the court still decides acceptance.
China’s Enterprise Bankruptcy Law allows the debtor and creditors meeting legal conditions to apply for bankruptcy (liquidation, reorganisation or compromise tracks as available). Courts examine jurisdiction and statutory grounds before acceptance. The live creditor-file Q&A stays a deep twin for creditor petitions — this wiki is the broader standing map entry. Administrator appointment follows acceptance. Cross-border petitioners face extra issues.
4 questions before you choose the route.
This page identifies the right question and evidence. It does not determine the legal outcome on a reader’s facts.
Debtor or creditor petitioner?
Who.
WhoLive creditor-file page checked?
Creditor twin.
TwinWhich procedure sought?
Liq/reorg.
TrackEvidence of insolvency grounds?
Proof.
ProofWorking rule: Map the regulated role before marketing or launch in China.
The signal ledger.
These facts move the question beyond a label and into a product, money-flow and control analysis.
Bring a compact evidence docket—not a pitch deck.
Give a compliance team or counsel the operating facts that reveal the perimeter.
Questions people ask before they build.
Short answers for orientation. The right result can change with the service model and current rules.
Can employees file as creditors?
Unpaid wages can support creditor status; strategy is counsel-grade.
Where is the creditor-focused Q&A?
Primary authorities
Reviewed sources support orientation, not a fact-specific assessment.