Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
A Beijing apartment bought during marriage? If your name’s not on the receipt, it's not yours. China’s new “Who Paid, Owns” rule redefines fairness—and it's a seismic shift for spouses everywhere.
No paycheck, no fallback. China’s refusal to mandate alimony means stay-at-home spouses walk away with little to nothing—unless they locked in a deal before signing the divorce.
The 30-day “cooling-off” rule may sound calming—but for victims of abuse or coercion, it’s a legal cage. One withdrawal cancels the divorce, no questions asked.
Parents gifting homes to their sons? Under the new law, it stays the husband’s—even if his wife shared the mortgage. Property law just took a hard traditionalist turn.
Joint ownership on paper? Meaningless if your money didn’t fund it. The law now sides with receipts, not relationships—prompting uproar among women’s rights groups.
While divorce gets tougher, getting hitched is suddenly a breeze. China’s scrapped regional rules, making marriage as easy as clicking “yes”—a curious contrast in state policy.
Non-financial contributions—raising kids, running a home—now hold zero legal weight in asset division. Critics warn this shift could push women out of marriage altogether.
From 50/50 splits to strict financial proof, the property division overhaul has stunned lawyers—many now advising prenups as standard survival strategy.
Officials say the laws promote family stability. But opponents argue it’s state-managed marriage, reshaping love and legality to solve birthrate anxiety.