China (CN)
China is one of the world's largest economies and most important expat destinations, combining global business hubs such as Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Hangzhou with deep history, fast infrastructure, and a highly digital daily-life ecosystem.
Consumer Rights
Right of withdrawal, contracts and debt collection in China.
Consumer protection in China is governed primarily by the Law on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Consumers (消费者权益保护法, CPL — enacted 1993, significantly amended 2013, new implementing regulations effective July 1, 2024) and the E-commerce Law of the People's Republic of China (2019). Enforcement is by the State Administration for Market Regulation (国家市场监督管理总局, SAMR — samr.gov.cn) and local Market Supervision and Administration Bureaus (市场监督管理局, MSB). Key rights: 7-day no-reason return for online purchases (Art. 25 CPL); right to truthful information, product safety, and redress for defective goods; prohibition of unfair terms in standard-form contracts. In practice, evidence documentation (screenshots, official fapiao invoices, chat records, delivery photos) and platform escalation through Taobao, JD.com, Pinduoduo, Meituan, etc. are the most effective first steps. Always obtain a formal fapiao (官方发票) for significant purchases — required for any formal dispute.
Right of withdrawal (Widerrufsrecht)
CPL Art. 25 (as amended 2013, reinforced by E-commerce Law 2019 Art. 49) grants consumers a 7-day unconditional right of return (七天无理由退货) for goods purchased online, by telephone, or through television shopping — no reason required. The 7 days run from the date of receipt of the goods. Exclusions from the 7-day right: personalised/custom-made goods; fresh and perishable goods; digital products (software, audio-visual content) downloaded or opened by the consumer; newspapers and periodicals. Return shipping costs are borne by the consumer unless the seller has specifically agreed otherwise. The seller must refund within 7 days of receiving the returned goods. Interim Measures for Seven-Day Unconditional Return (2020) provide additional implementation details. New implementing regulations (effective July 1, 2024) clarify that platforms bear joint liability for failed returns where the platform failed to take reasonable measures. For in-store purchases: no general statutory return right; return depends entirely on store policy.
Contract cancellation
Gym and fitness memberships: under CPL provisions on service contracts and local regulations, many cities (including Beijing and Shanghai) have specific rules requiring pro-rata refunds for unused portions of prepaid memberships if you cannot use the service due to health reasons or business closure. Obtain refund terms in writing before paying. Education and tutoring contracts: National regulations require refund provisions for prepaid courses — obtain written terms specifying refund formula before paying. Online subscriptions (Alipay, WeChat Pay, App Store): cancel recurring payments inside the payment app under "Services" or "Subscriptions" — keep screenshots of cancellation confirmation. Telecom contracts (China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom): month-to-month plans can be cancelled at any time; fixed-term contracts may carry early-termination fees — check your contract terms.
CPL and the E-commerce Law of 2019 require that auto-renewal terms be clearly and prominently disclosed at time of sign-up and that the platform must notify users before renewal via app notification or SMS. Under SAMR guidance, subscription apps must provide a clearly visible cancellation mechanism. Cancel subscriptions inside the payment platform: Alipay (支付宝 — "My" → "Settings" → "Auto-Debit"), WeChat Pay (微信支付 — "Settings" → "Services" → "Subscriptions"), and App Store/Google Play for international apps. Keep screenshots of all cancellation confirmations. If charged after cancellation, escalate through the platform's dispute portal or the 12315 hotline.
Debt collection — response deadlines
Informal reminders: Creditors (landlords, lenders, utilities) typically contact by phone, SMS, or WeChat before escalating formally. Debt collection agencies must comply with the Civil Code and cannot use threats, false legal claims, public humiliation, or contact third parties (friends, colleagues) for collection purposes. Report illegal collection tactics to the local Market Supervision Bureau or police. Do not ignore written demand letters — respond in writing even if just to dispute the amount.
Court order: Civil debt disputes are handled by local People's Courts (人民法院) — for small amounts under CNY 50,000, the Civil Procedure Law provides for a simplified procedure (简易程序) with faster resolution. E-commerce platform arbitration: Taobao, JD.com, and other platforms have binding internal arbitration mechanisms which are the fastest resolution route for platform-based transactions. Property: landlords can seek judicial enforcement for unpaid rent through civil courts. Process: filing → summons → hearing (typically 3–6 months for simplified procedure) → judgment → enforcement (bank account freeze, salary garnishment). Enforcement is handled by the People's Court execution division.
Response deadline: Respond to any formal court summons (法院传票) within the period stated — typically 15 days for simplified procedure disputes. Failure to respond results in a default judgment. Do not ignore Chinese-language legal notices, property-management letters, court SMS messages, or WeChat/SMS from official court systems — translate them urgently and seek legal advice immediately. China's court-issued electronic summons are legally equivalent to paper service.
Consumer protection authority
State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR — samr.gov.cn): national-level consumer protection authority; enforces CPL and E-commerce Law; oversees local Market Supervision and Administration Bureaus (MSB). Local MSB: find your city's bureau through the 12315 platform or local government websites — they handle in-person complaints about local businesses. 12315 platform: the national consumer complaint platform at 12315.samr.gov.cn (online) or by calling 12315 (hotline, Mandarin only) — processes complaints against businesses registered in China.
Consumer complaints: 12315 platform (12315.samr.gov.cn) or hotline 12315 — for complaints about local businesses, product safety, price fraud, and misleading advertising. Platform-based disputes (Taobao, JD, Pinduoduo, Meituan): use the platform's internal dispute portal first — this is the fastest resolution route. Telecom disputes: escalate to local MSB if operator refuses resolution; or call 12300 (MIIT telecom hotline). Banking disputes: internal bank complaint desk first; escalate to China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC — cbirc.gov.cn) for regulated financial institutions. Food safety: local Food and Drug Administration or 12315. Fraud and scams: local Public Security Bureau (PSB — police); also file cyber fraud reports at 12321 (national reporting platform). Municipal complaints (city services, housing): 12345 municipal hotline.