Cross-Border Asset Recovery
from Chinese Parties

The Recovery Challenge

Why Asset Recovery Against Chinese Parties Is Complex

Winning a US court judgment is often the easier part. Collecting that money from a Chinese defendant requires a completely different strategy — especially when assets may be held in China, in US financial institutions, or hidden through complex corporate structures.

Chinese parties who ignore US litigation often have assets in the US that they haven't disclosed. Our asset tracing and recovery work systematically identifies these assets and moves quickly to freeze and collect.

US-Based Chinese Assets: Your First Target

Many Chinese businesses and high-net-worth individuals hold significant assets in the United States. Common US-situs assets include:

• US bank accounts — Chinese-owned businesses frequently maintain operating accounts at major US banks
• US real estate — Chinese nationals are among the largest foreign purchasers of US residential and commercial property
• Corporate equity — Ownership interests in US companies, LLCs, and subsidiaries
• Receivables — Money owed to the Chinese party by US companies, distributors, or customers
• Amazon/e-commerce accounts — Chinese sellers often hold substantial balances in US payment processors
• Securities and investment accounts — Brokerage accounts, US stocks, and bonds

Post-Judgment Enforcement Tools

Writ of Execution

Once a US judgment is entered, we obtain a writ of execution from the court, authorizing the US Marshal or sheriff to seize non-exempt property. This is the foundation of judgment enforcement.

Bank Account Garnishment

We issue writs of garnishment to banks where the defendant may hold accounts. When a match is found, the bank must freeze and turn over funds up to the judgment amount. We can simultaneously issue writs to multiple banks.

Real Property Liens & Execution

We file judgment liens against any US real property owned by the defendant. If the defendant attempts to sell the property, the lien must be satisfied first. For egregious cases, we can move to force a sale.

Charging Orders (LLC Interests)

When the defendant owns interests in US LLCs or partnerships, we obtain a charging order — directing that any distributions to the defendant be paid to you instead.

Receivership

In complex cases involving business operations, we may seek appointment of a receiver to take control of and liquidate the defendant's US assets under court supervision.

Pre-Judgment Attachment

In appropriate cases — particularly when there is evidence of fraud or risk of asset dissipation — we can seek a pre-judgment attachment order to freeze identified assets before the case is even decided. This is a powerful but procedurally demanding remedy that requires demonstrating a clear right of recovery and risk of dissipation.

Enforcing in China: The Harder Path

When the defendant has no US assets, we coordinate with our network of Chinese law firms to pursue enforcement in China. While the US and China do not have a bilateral judgment recognition treaty, Chinese courts have in specific cases applied reciprocity principles to recognize and enforce US judgments.

Requirements for Chinese recognition typically include:

• The US court had proper jurisdiction
• The defendant received proper notice (Hague Convention service)
• The judgment is final and binding
• The judgment does not violate Chinese public order
• Reciprocity exists between the jurisdictions