If a property is the separate property of one spouse, then in the event of a divorce, it remains the property of that spouse alone and will not be divided or acquired by the other spouse.
According to Chinese law, the following property constitutes separate property of one of the spouses:
(1) premarital property of one spouse.
(2) compensation or indemnification received by one spouse for injury inflicted upon him. Specifically, the casualty insurance benefits, disability allowances, and medical and cost-of-living allowances for military personnel shall fall within the scope of their separate property.
(3) property that belongs to only one spouse as provided in a will or gift contract.
(4) articles exclusively used by one spouse for daily life.
(5) other property that shall be owned by one spouse.
The aforementioned separate property of one of the spouses shall not be converted into the community property because of the continuation of the marital relationship, except as otherwise agreed upon by the parties.
The above content is based on Article 1063 of the Civil Code of the People's Republic of China, and Articles 30-31, the Supreme People’s Court’s Interpretation (I) on the Application of the ‘Marriage and Family’ Book of the Civil Code of the People's Republic of China.
The Cross-border Family Matters 101 Series (‘CFM 101 Series’) provides an introduction to China-related cross-border family matters (marriage and succession), and covers the knowledge essential to cross-border family matter management.
* * *
Do you need support in Cross-Border Family Matters (Marriage and Succession)?
CJO Family's team can provide you with China-based consulting service, including case assessment and management, background check, and debt collection (‘Last Mile’ Service). If you encounter any problems in cross-border family matters, or if you wish to share your story, you can contact our Client Manager Julia Yuan (julia.yuan@chinajusticeobserver.com).
CJO Family is a product of China Justice Observer.
If you want to know more about CJO Family, please click here.
If you want to know more about CJO Family cross-border family matters service, please click here.
If you wish to read more CJO Family articles on cross-border family matters, please click here.
Photo by Roy Javier on Unsplash
Contributors: Meng Yu 余萌