Do you accept a matter with no China connection?

No. We only act where the matter has a China connection: a party in China or holding Chinese nationality, domicile, habitual residence or identity documents, or property, a company interest, evidence, a document or an enforcement step located in or directed at China. Where everything — the parties, the assets and the documents — sits outside China and no Chinese court or authority needs to act, a lawyer in that jurisdiction is better placed to help and we would not be the right firm.

Cases / Pre-marital checks

Pre-marital investigation: RMB 500,000 of undisclosed debt

Pre-marital checks · Published 2026-09-08 · Reviewed by Yuanjia International Family Law Team

Anonymised firm matter, described in the firm's public materials. Outcomes depend on the facts of each matter and do not indicate a repeatable result.

RMB 500kdebt revealed

3-5 daysreport turnaround

Before marriagetiming

An investigation before marriage revealed undisclosed debt, allowing the client to make an informed decision and avoid the consequences of discovering it after the wedding.

Background

The client was preparing to marry and had no clear picture of her fiancé's financial position. Debt is the part of a balance sheet that people volunteer least, and under Chinese law obligations arising during the marriage can affect both parties' finances.

What was done

Marital status and identity records were verified through the available public channels.
Property, vehicle and business registrations were checked to establish the asset position.
Credit information and business filings were reviewed, which is where the undisclosed borrowing appeared.

Outcome

The report revealed RMB 500,000 of undisclosed debt. The client was able to address the issue before the marriage rather than after, and to decide how to proceed on an informed basis.

The practical lesson

Pre-marital checks are not about suspicion; they are about being able to plan. For cross-border couples the same exercise extends to nationality, identity records and any asset leads outside China. See marital asset protection and prenuptial agreements.

Points to take away

Debt is the most commonly undisclosed part of a financial position.
Verify identity, marital status and registrations rather than relying on disclosure.
Do the check before the marriage — afterwards the options are much narrower.

Pre-marital checksDue diligenceDebt

← Previous: Reconciliation where divorce was a…Next: Six siblings, one old house, and a… →

Have a matter like this?

Free initial review of jurisdiction, documents and enforceability — before any cost is committed.

Request a review