作者（author）：陆俊辉律师｜Attorney Lawrence Luk

1、关于阁下的权利义务：根据中国民事诉讼法律相关规定，阁下享有同中国公民、法人和其他组织同等的诉讼权利义务。但阁下所在国法院对中国公民、法人和其他组织的民事诉讼权利加以限制的，中国法院将对实行对等原则。

I. Regarding Your Rights and Obligations: According to relevant provisions of Chinese civil procedural law, you enjoy the same litigation rights and obligations as Chinese citizens, legal persons, and other organizations. However, if the courts in your jurisdiction restrict the litigation rights of Chinese citizens, legal persons, and other organizations, Chinese courts will adhere to the principle of reciprocity.

2、关于委托律师：如果阁下是外国人在中国境内提起诉讼，需要委托律师代理诉讼的，根据中国民事诉讼法相关规定，阁下委托的必需是中国境内合法执业的律师，若是委托非中国境内合法执行的律师出庭，则该律师不得以律师身份代理阁下出庭。律师费用在中国各地省份和直辖市地区均有执行标准，具体可向中国当地律师事务所咨询了解。

II.Regarding Retaining Legal Representation: If you, as a foreigner, wish to file a lawsuit within the territory of China and require legal representation, according to relevant provisions of Chinese civil procedural law, your legal representative must be a lawyer qualified to practice law within China. If a lawyer not qualified to practice law within China represents you in court, they may not appear as your legal representative. Legal fees are subject to standards set in various provinces and municipalities across China; specific information can be obtained by consulting local law firms.

3、关于授权委托：如阁下在中国境内没有住所，需要委托中国律师或者其他人代理诉讼，则阁下从中国境外寄交或者托交的授权委托书，应当经阁下所在国公证机关证明，并经中国驻阁下所在该国使领馆认证，或者履行中国与该国订立的有关条约中规定的证明手续后，才具有效力。

III.Regarding Authorization of Representation: If you do not have a domicile within China and need to authorize a Chinese lawyer or another individual to represent you in litigation, the authorization document sent or submitted from outside China should be notarized by a competent authority in your jurisdiction and then authenticated by the Chinese embassy or consulate in your jurisdiction, or comply with the relevant procedures stipulated in treaties between China and your jurisdiction before it becomes effective.

4、关于享有外交特权与豁免的个人或组织：如果阁下是享有外交特权与豁免的外国人、或是外国组织或者国际组织提起的民事诉讼，则应当依照中国有关法律和中国缔结或者参加的国际条约的规定办理。

IV.Regarding Individuals or Organizations Enjoying Diplomatic Privileges and Immunities: If you are an individual or organization enjoying diplomatic privileges and immunities and initiate civil litigation in China, you should proceed in accordance with relevant Chinese laws and international treaties concluded or joined by China.

5、关于庭审语言和翻译问题：根据中国民事诉讼法律相关规定，中国法院审理涉外民事案件时，将依法使用中国通用的语言、文字审理。因此，阁下如需要法院提供翻译的，法院基于阁下的申请提供，但费用将由阁下承担。

V.Regarding Court Language and Translation Issues: According to relevant provisions of Chinese civil procedural law, Chinese courts handle foreign-related civil cases using the Chinese language and characters. Therefore, if you require translation services provided by the court, the court will provide them upon your request, but you will bear the cost.

6、关于法律适用问题：根据中国民事诉讼法律相关规定，凡在中国境内进行的民事诉讼，必须遵守《中华人民共和国民事诉讼法》，同时将优先适用中国缔结或者参加的国际条约规定，但中国声明保留的条约条款除外，否则适用中国境内法律。

VI.Regarding the Issue of Legal Application: According to relevant provisions of Chinese civil procedural law, civil litigation conducted within the territory of China must comply with the Civil Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China. Priority will also be given to the application of international treaties concluded or joined by China, except for provisions that China has declared reservations on, in which case domestic Chinese law will apply.

*主要法律法规及司法解释依据：《中华人民共和国民事诉讼法》（2023年9月1日第十四届全国人民代表大会常务委员会第五次会议《关于修改〈中华人民共和国民事诉讼法〉的决定》第五次修正）第四条、第五条、第二百七十条、第二百七十一条、第二百七十二条、第二百七十三条、第二百七十四条、第二百七十五条。《最高人民法院关于民事诉讼证据的若干规定》（2019修正）第十七条。

7、关于证据问题：建议阁下咨询中国律师结合阁下的案件实际出具意见，如果阁下急于提起诉讼，也可先行搜集与案件有关的证据材料，根据中国民事诉讼相关法律规定，证据主要包括：（1）当事人陈述；（2）书证；（3）物证；（4）视听资料；（5）电子数据；（6）证人证言；（7）鉴定意见；（8）勘验笔录等。如对上述证据存有疑问，建议尽快咨询中国律师了解。

VII.Regarding Evidence Issues: It is recommended that you consult with a Chinese lawyer to provide advice based on the specifics of your case. If you are eager to initiate litigation, you may also collect evidence related to the case in advance. According to relevant provisions of Chinese civil procedural law, evidence mainly includes: (1) statements of the parties involved; (2) documentary evidence; (3) physical evidence; (4) audio-visual materials; (5) electronic data; (6) testimony of witnesses; (7) expert opinions; (8) records of examination and inspection, etc. If you have any doubts about the aforementioned evidence, it is advisable to consult with a Chinese lawyer as soon as possible for clarification.

需要提醒阁下注意的是，关于中国领域外形成的证据问题，根据中国法律和最高人民法院的观点，主要如下：（1）当事人提供境外形成的用于证明案件事实的证据时，除证明诉讼主体资格的证据外，可以自行决定是否办理相关证据的公证、认证手续。对于当事人提供的证据，不论是否办理了公证、认证手续，人民法院均应当进行质证并决定是否采信。（2）部分域外证据如域外公文书证，若能通过互联网方式核查公文书证的真实性的，可不经过公证或证明程序。双方当事人对公文书证的真实性均无异议的，也可免于相关公证或证明程序。（3）未经公证、认证的域外证据并非当然不具有效力，对于非证明诉讼主体资格的证据，人民法院综合其他证据能够确认其真实性，亦应当予以采纳。

Please be reminded that regarding evidence originating from outside the jurisdiction of China, according to Chinese law and the viewpoint of the Supreme People's Court, the main points are as follows: (1) When parties provide evidence formed outside the jurisdiction to prove facts of a case, except for evidence proving the litigant's standing, they may independently decide whether to handle relevant procedures for notarization or authentication of such evidence. Regardless of whether notarization or authentication procedures have been conducted for the evidence provided by the parties, the People's Court shall conduct cross-examination and determine whether to accept it. (2) Certain extraterritorial evidence, such as extraterritorial official documents, may bypass notarization or certification procedures if their authenticity can be verified via the internet. In cases where both parties have no objections to the authenticity of official documents, they may also be exempt from relevant notarization or certification procedures. (3) Extraterritorial evidence that has not undergone notarization or authentication is not automatically devoid of legal effect. Regarding evidence unrelated to proving litigant standing, if the People's Court can confirm its authenticity through other evidence, it should also be considered admissible.

*主要法律法规、司法解释及案例依据：《最高人民法院关于民事诉讼证据的若干规定》（2019修正）第十六条 、第十七条。《第二次全国涉外商事海事审判工作会议纪要》（法发〔2005〕26号）第39条《全国法院涉外商事海事审判工作座谈会会议纪要》（2022.1.24）《最高人民法院关于民事诉讼证据的若干规定》第十六条规定的公文书证包括外国法院作出的判决、裁定，外国行政机关出具的文件，外国公共机构出具的商事登记、出生及死亡证明、婚姻状况证明等文件，但不包括外国鉴定机构等私人机构出具的文件。参考案例：最高人民法院（2020）最高法民再115号、最高人民法院(2020)闽0322民初1342号、（2021）最高法民申1750号。

8、关于外国法院判决、仲裁裁决等作为证据的认定：一方当事人将外国法院作出的发生法律效力的判决、裁定或者外国仲裁机构作出的仲裁裁决作为证据提交，人民法院应当组织双方当事人质证后进行审查认定，但该判决、裁定或者仲裁裁决认定的事实，不属于民事诉讼法司法解释第九十三条第一款规定的当事人无须举证证明的事实。一方当事人仅以该判决、裁定或者仲裁裁决未经人民法院承认为由主张不能作为证据使用的，人民法院不予支持。

VIII.Regarding the recognition of foreign court judgments, arbitral awards, etc., as evidence: If one party submits a legally effective judgment or ruling issued by a foreign court, or an arbitral award issued by a foreign arbitral institution as evidence, the People's Court shall organize cross-examination by both parties and then proceed with examination and determination. However, the facts recognized by such judgment, ruling, or arbitral award do not fall within the scope of facts that the parties are not required to prove under Article 93(1) of the Judicial Interpretation of the Civil Procedure Law. If one party claims that such judgment, ruling, or arbitral award, not recognized by the People's Court, cannot be used as evidence, the People's Court shall not support this claim.

*主要法律法规及司法解释依据：最高人民法院关于适用《中华人民共和国民事诉讼法》的解释（2022修正）第九十三条、第五百二十二条。

9、其他注意内容：

（1）域外证据：一般是指在民商事诉讼中由当事人提供的、在中华人民共和国领域外形成的证据。根据《天津市高级人民法院关于民商事诉讼域外证据审查若干问题的指南》第一条第二款规定可知，证据在形成过程中虽涉及域外，但因接收、取得、到达、完成等因素，最终不可变更地形成于中华人民共和国领域内的，可以不认定该证据为域外证据。“域外”包含两个部分：在中华人民共和国领域外和在香港、澳门、台湾地区所形成的证据。

（2）公文书证：公文书证一般包括外国法院作出的判决、裁定，外国行政机关出具的文件，外国公共机构出具的商事登记、出生及死亡证明、婚姻状况证明等文件，但不包括外国鉴定机构等私人机构出具的文件

（3）外文证据：以中文之外的外国语言体现的证据，强调的是证据的语言种类或形式。

（4）关于外文翻译机构的选择：根据《最高人民法院关于适用<中华人民共和国民事诉讼法>的解释》第五百二十五条，当事人对翻译件有异议的，可以共同委托翻译机构，无法达成一致的，由法院确定。

（5）中国与有关国家签订了公文书证等免予认证的司法协助条约，当事人无须就域外证据办理公证、认证手续，如：《中华人民共和国和新加坡共和国关于民事和商事司法协助的条约》、《中华人民共和国和法兰西共和国关于民事、商事司法协助的协定》、《取消外国公文书认证要求的公约》（俗称：《海牙认证公约》等。

IX. Other matters to be noted:

(1) Extraterritorial Evidence: Generally refers to evidence provided by parties in civil and commercial litigation that is formed outside the territory of the People's Republic of China. According to Article 1(2) of the "Guidelines of the Tianjin High People's Court on Several Issues Concerning the Examination of Extraterritorial Evidence in Civil and Commercial Litigation," evidence, although formed outside the territory, may not be recognized as extraterritorial evidence if it is ultimately formed within the territory of the People's Republic of China due to factors such as reception, acquisition, arrival, or completion. "Extraterritorial" includes two parts: formed outside the territory of the People's Republic of China and formed in the Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan regions.

(2) Official Documents: Official documents generally include judgments and rulings made by foreign courts, documents issued by foreign administrative agencies, documents issued by foreign public institutions such as commercial registration, birth and death certificates, and marital status certificates, but do not include documents issued by private institutions such as foreign appraisal agencies.

(3) Foreign Language Evidence: Evidence expressed in languages other than Chinese, emphasizing the language type or form of evidence.

(4) Selection of Foreign Language Translation Agencies: According to Article 525 of the "Interpretation of the Supreme People's Court on the Application of the Civil Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China," if parties have objections to translation documents, they may jointly commission a translation agency. If they cannot reach an agreement, the court will make the determination.

(5) China has signed judicial assistance treaties with relevant countries, exempting official documents and other documents from certification. Parties do not need to go through notarization or authentication procedures for extraterritorial evidence. Examples include: "Treaty between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Singapore on Judicial Assistance in Civil and Commercial Matters," "Agreement between the People's Republic of China and the French Republic on Judicial Assistance in Civil and Commercial Matters," " Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents" (commonly known as the "Apostille Convention"), etc.

以上观点仅供参考。

The above viewpoints are provided for reference only.

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