China Justice Observer

中司观察

EnglishArabicChinese (Simplified)DutchFrenchGermanHindiItalianJapaneseKoreanPortugueseRussianSpanishSwedishHebrewIndonesianVietnameseThaiTurkishMalay

Debtor in China’s First Personal Bankruptcy Case Concludes Bankruptcy Proceedings

Mon, 18 Sep 2023
Categories: China Legal Trends

On 20 June 2023, the Shenzhen Bankruptcy Tribunal of the Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court (hereinafter the “Shenzhen Court”) served a civil ruling to Liang Wenjin, the debtor in China’s first domestic personal bankruptcy case, declaring the case concluded and his outstanding debts discharged.

Liang, the applicant in China’s first personal bankruptcy case, has gained a financial chance of rebirth.

On 10 Mar. 2021, Liang filed a personal bankruptcy application with the Shenzhen Court.

In July 2021, the Shenzhen Court served Liang with a ruling that, according to the reorganization plan that came into effect under the Court’s ruling, Liang should pay off the principal of his debts within three years and need not pay interest. If Liang failed to comply with the reorganization plan, the creditors were entitled to recover all outstanding principal and interest on his borrowings.

In mid-April 2023, the 21st month of the reorganization plan’s implementation, the debtor finally paid off the principal of all claims, which was 15 months ahead of the plan’s requirements. Subsequently, the debtor applied to the Court for a discharge of the remaining outstanding debts, which was granted by the Court’s decision.

 

 

Photo by tommao wang on Unsplash

Contributors: CJO Staff Contributors Team

Save as PDF

You might also like

PRC Double Interest neither Double nor Penal, Australian Courts Clear Its Name When Enforcing Chinese Judgments

Recent Australian case law clarifies that the “double interest” mechanism in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) monetary judgments functions as a compensatory post-judgment interest framework rather than an unenforceable penalty. This consolidates Australia’s position as a highly attractive and creditor-friendly forum for enforcing Chinese judgments. See Zhengzhou Lvdu Real Estate Group Co v Shu [2024] NSWSC 58 (6 February 2024), Fu v Pang [2025] VSC 597 (16 September 2025)

IOMed Settles First Case, Resolving China-Singapore Maritime Dispute

The newly established International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) has successfully resolved its inaugural case—a maritime charter dispute between Chinese and Singaporean parties—marking a major milestone for the world’s first government-backed global mediation body.

China Overhauls Arbitration Law for Global Alignment

Having entered into force on March 1, 2026, China’s first comprehensive revision of its 1995 Arbitration Law has introduced ad hoc arbitration, strengthened interim relief, and aligned the legal framework more closely with international standards.