According to a new law in China, residential property is no longer to be regarded as jointly owned and divided equally in the event of a divorce. Instead, whoever paid for the apartment or house is the legal owner and gets to keep it in its entirety. Too many women were profiting from divorce.

b_ohare · 2011-10-30T15:20:11+00:00

FTA: "But as house prices have accelerated, there is now a widespread perception that some women have been marrying solely because they know it will guarantee them the right to half the home's value if they divorce."

Psychomike · 2011-10-30T18:40:07+00:00

I agree that this law is definitely a step in the right direction.

I would accept a provision that increases the share in the property of the spouse, if unregistered.

Something like they receive nothing for the first 9 years. 10% after 10 years and an additional 2% for every year after 10 years and being capped at 50%. I think that'd be the fairest valuation of the unregistered spouse's contribution to the household.

hardwarequestions · 2011-10-30T18:52:29+00:00

Time to move to China.

Detached09 · 2011-10-30T18:24:53+00:00

This is how it should goddamned well be anywhere in the developed world. I bought a house, you married me, then you left me? Fuck off. You didn't do half the work or pay half the mortgage. It's mine.

MenosElOso · 2011-10-30T17:37:12+00:00

That's fair and the way it should be everywhere.

InfinitelyThirsting · 2011-10-30T23:28:02+00:00

The exact same thing happens in Brazil, but based on the reaction here I'm little confused about America.

If you own a house before the marriage, get married and then divorce, do you have to split YOUR house with your ex-wife?

Octagonecologyst · 2011-10-30T20:13:24+00:00

"I want HALF, Eddie!"

DevinV · 2011-10-30T17:50:37+00:00

It was in order to challenge that convention that the Supreme Court changed the law back in August. Yet their decision will leave many women with nothing to show for their years of marriage.

The gynocentric framing in that article blows my mind as does the fact that these women think they are owed money for having married someone. It really goes to dispel the myth that it's about "love" when you see things like this:

In some cases, men who already own a home have been told by their fiancées that they will refuse to have children, or care for his parents – the traditional duty of wives in China - unless they are registered as the co-owner of the property before they marry. Doing that is the only guaranteed way to ensure they are legally entitled to half the home.

...

"My husband's parents bought it when we married. It's in my husband's name so he and his parents-in-law are saying that under the new law I am not entitled to half of it," said Mrs Zhang.

"My lawyer thinks I can get maybe 200,000 RMB (£20,000) based on money I paid towards the mortgage. That's ridiculous, because I think the effort I put into the marriage is priceless."

A major reason why the new law is regarded as unjust by most women is that in China men, or their parents, traditionally buy the family home. Indeed, many women will refuse to marry until that happens.

So they let their hypergamous instinct run wild in a crass and transparent bid to marry up, and then think they're owed something when it doesn't work out. Women complain all of the time about men not wanting to commit, but why isn't their own commitment called into question when they attempt to cash out years later.

I guess the tl;dr of this is that China's legal system is more sane than any country in the west.

crass_hole · 2011-10-30T19:18:02+00:00

I was told by a friend, who is an exchange student from China, that as far as property is concerned, after 70 years it goes back to being owned by the government in China. Can anyone verify, or clarify, this?

Orimos · 2011-10-31T04:14:38+00:00

Just found a reason to like china. This is a first... Oh wait egg rolls... Ok this is a second.

Desturbinsight · 2011-10-30T22:24:53+00:00

I agree that profit should not really be a word associated with marriage

BinaryShadow · 2011-10-31T03:02:44+00:00

Kids complicate the issue a bit, but this should definitely apply to a couple without kids. There's no excuse for one person who didn't buy the property to walk away with it post-divorce.

2011-10-31T03:22:28+00:00

wonder how they will apply the law for overseas owned property?

BinaryShadow · 2011-10-31T07:22:40+00:00

A major reason why the new law is regarded as unjust by most women is that in China men, or their parents, traditionally buy the family home. Indeed, many women will refuse to marry until that happens.

You might want to work on that little shit-test before complaining too much, sister. If you both pitched in for the house then you very well might have something to fight for.

In some cases, men who already own a home have been told by their fiancées that they will refuse to have children, or care for his parents – the traditional duty of wives in China - unless they are registered as the co-owner of the property before they marry. Doing that is the only guaranteed way to ensure they are legally entitled to half the home.

Looking out for #1 as always. That's a sure-fire way to tell who's after your money right there. This law is getting better and better.

"They think the new law means their husband can take a mistress without anything happening to him, because if the wife threatens him with a divorce he will get to keep the house. Even women in good marriages are suspicious and calling us about the implications of the new law."

In the states, women have this privalege over men (and not a peep from the activist ones, I noticed). No-fault means the man gets kicked out of his own home and pays the bills for it while she fucks her play-toy in her ex's own bed.

Honestly? If the man is at fault for the divorce (fucking around, abuse, etc) then yeah let's talk about some reprecussions. I can see that angle. If she's at fault, then why should he have to give up ANYTHING OF HIS?

Liverotto · 2011-11-06T23:28:24+00:00

IT IS OFFICIAL NOW: CHINESE WOMEN ARE FEMALE!

inaneInTheMembrane · 2011-10-30T22:16:13+00:00

Because if there is one thing about women in China is that they have to many rights... Seriously I have a hard time imagining that this won't lead to a worsening of the living conditions of Chinese housewives under the guise of (non-existent) equity. This is, by the way, the point of the article. I wonder how many Females in Chinese parliament...

AmazingPerson · 2011-10-30T20:20:29+00:00

stupid misogyny here its not like women just marry for money...

TheHippieMuslim · 2011-10-31T07:55:27+00:00

Ccchh women

Comments