China Justice Observer

中司观察

EnglishArabicChinese (Simplified)DutchFrenchGermanHindiItalianJapaneseKoreanPortugueseRussianSpanishSwedishHebrewIndonesianVietnameseThaiTurkishMalay

Submission of Foreign Official Documents to Chinese Courts Requires Notarization and Authentication-Sue a Company in China - CTD 101 Series

Thu, 18 Aug 2022
Contributors: Meng Yu 余萌
Editor: C. J. Observer

The ‘foreign official documents’ here refer to official documents formed outside the territory of China.

This post was first published in CJO GLOBAL, which is committed to providing consulting services in China-related cross-border trade risk management and debt collection. We will explain how debt collection works in China below. 

These foreign official documents include judgments and rulings rendered by the foreign courts, documents issued by the foreign administrative organs, commercial registration, birth, death and marriage certificates issued by the foreign public institutions, but exclude documents issued by private institutions such as foreign appraisal institutions.

If you submit these documents to the Chinese courts as evidence, the evidence should be notarized by the notary agencies of that foreign country, or go through the certification procedures stipulated in the pertinent treaties between China and that foreign country.

However, such notarization is not required if the Chinese courts can verify the authenticity of the official documents through the Internet, or if neither party disputes their authenticity.

In addition, all evidence involving identity relationships formed outside the territory of China should be notarized and authenticated.

For more information about notarization and authentication, you can read our previous post ‘Notarization & Authentication: Things You Can’t Overlook in Lawsuits in China‘.

 

 

* * *

Do you need support in cross-border trade and debt collection?

CJO Global's team can provide you with China-related cross-border trade risk management and debt collection services, including: 
(1) Trade Dispute Resolution
(2) Debt Collection
(3) Judgments and Awards Collection
(4) Anti-Counterfeiting & IP Protection
(5) Company Verification and Due Diligence
(6) Trade Contract Drafting and Review

If you need our services, or if you wish to share your story, you can contact our Client Manager Susan Li (susan.li@yuanddu.com).

If you want to know more about CJO Global, please click here.

If you want to know more about CJO Global services, please click here.

If you wish to read more CJO Global posts, please click here.

Photo by Mr Cup / Fabien Barral on Unsplash

 

Contributors: Meng Yu 余萌

Save as PDF

You might also like

China Enacts Landmark Private Economy Promotion Law

China enacted its landmark first Private Economy Promotion Law, effective May 20, 2025, to guarantee fair competition, streamline market access via a unified negative list, and bolster private enterprises through financing, innovation, and service support.

China Revises Marriage Registration Regulation

China's revised marriage registration rules, effective May 2025, eliminate location restrictions, simplify procedures by removing hukou requirements, and align divorce processes with the Civil Code's cooling-off period.

First Tort Suit Under China’s Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law

In March 2025, China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) reported the first-ever tort suit under the Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law, enabling a Chinese firm to recover over CNY 84 million after a European partner withheld payment invoking a third country’s sanctions.

Beijing Passes Autonomous Vehicle Regulation

In December 2024, Beijing passed the "Beijing Autonomous Vehicle Regulation", effective April 1, 2025, to promote development and safety, allowing self-driving cars in taxis, buses, and more after rigorous testing.

China Amends Supervision Law to Strengthen Oversight

The newly amended Supervision Law of the People’s Republic of China, effective June 1, 2025, strengthens oversight, limits supervisory powers, and enhances protections for citizens' rights through standardized enforcement.

China Revises Anti-Money Laundering Law

China's newly revised Anti-Money Laundering Law, effective January 1, 2025, strengthens regulations on financial institutions, enhances AML obligations, and includes measures to prevent terrorist financing.

China Enacts Preschool Education Law

Effective June 1, 2025, China's newly passed Preschool Education Law emphasizes inclusivity and government-led development, and prohibits primary school-style teaching in kindergartens to promote the well-being and development of preschool children.

China Revises Cultural Relics Protection Law

China's revised Cultural Relics Protection Law, effective March 1, 2025, strengthens preservation measures, introduces pre-construction surveys, and promotes international cooperation in the restitution and return of cultural relics.