Preface
Dear Sir or Madam,

With the enhancement and far-range of China communication with international communities，the number of foreign people in China has been increasing. According to the statistics by Shanghai Labor and Security Bureau，there are, so far, more than 100,000 foreigners permanently inhabiting in Shanghai , among which over 20,000 are here for working , business ,etc.. At present, the top ten countries whose people are working in Shanghai are in sequence as followed: Japan, U.S.A, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Germany, Australia, France, Canada and England.

With the increment of the number of foreigners in Shanghai and further enhancement of Shanghai cooperation and communication with other countries, the foreign marriage affairs in Shanghai are on the rise. There exist three involved in foreign affairs among 100 marriages in Shanghai, which takes the first place in China.

Statistically, there was 21,000 international marriages registered in Shanghai from 1996 to 2002, averaging 3000 per year which was 7 times as that of 1980. Nowadays, over ten new couples (Chinese wife and foreign husband or Chinese husband and foreign wife) are married at Shanghai Foreign Marriage Registration Office every day. With the advent of Shanghai World Expos, foreign marriages in Shanghai are dramatically rising up in quantity since 2007. The growth of marriages between Chinese and foreigners is favorable of China cultural and economical exchanges with international communities.

It should be noticed that the legitimate rights and interests of foreigners on their marriage and family are always infringed due to the fact that they lack of enough knowledge about Chinese culture, social conditions, correlative law, politics, etc. As an example, they often disregard their rights and interests on purchasing houses，the money paid for engagement and savings during the existence of marriage as well .

Our principal purposes are to help foreign people in China to strengthen their self-protective consciousness, be acquaintance with some fundamental knowledge of Chinese Law and live a happy life in China. Moreover, we aim at joining efforts with foreign people to make contribution to Chinese cultural and economical development, as well as the whole world.

                                                                          Family Affairs Center, Shanghai Whole-guard Law Firm
                                                                                                                                                    Mar.28th,2007