Law of ChinaModule 6
Property, family and succession: land-use rights, buying and renting, marriage, divorce, children and inheritance involving foreigners
Three of the most personal legal questions a foreigner meets in China are **where to live**, **who is family** and **what happens to property at death**. Each has a Chinese answer that differs from the one at home. In China **land is never owned by individuals**: the State or a rural collective owns it, and individuals and companies hold **land-use rights**. **Marriage and divorce** follow the **Civil Code**, with a **registration** system and a **mediation-minded** court. **Succession** follows rules about **statutory heirs and wills**, and a **cross-border estate** raises questions about which country’s law applies. This module explains the rules in outline and shows where a foreigner’s position is **different**. Local restrictions and procedures vary by city, so confirm the current local rule.
This course explains the law of China, not US law. Rules that look the same elsewhere may be different. This covers Mainland China. Hong Kong and Macao have separate legal systems, and Taiwan is outside this collection.
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See what is included in the Courses & AI Lab Pass →General education on the law of Mainland China, using invented people and businesses. It states laws and procedures in simplified form and is not legal advice. The law and its practice change, and every case turns on its facts and on the local authority. It does not offer legal representation or a legal opinion on any case. Consult a Chinese-qualified lawyer for any real matter.
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