Chinese-American wins 200,000 yuan back from ex-wife

A Chinese-American has won back 200,000 yuan ($31,680) that he lent his ex-Chinese wife for a business venture, Yangpu District People's Court said earlier this week.

The man, identified only by his surname, Liu, in his 80s, returned to Shanghai in 2007, when he met and married a woman, surnamed Zhao, in her 50s, the same year.

A year later, Zhao borrowed 100,000 yuan from Liu for her business. The couple agreed that while both of them would manage their own finances, any money borrowed during their marriage would be returned, if the couple ever divorced.

Zhao borrowed another 100,000 yuan from Liu the following year, in 2009 - a deal that was also documented in writing.

By 2010, their marriage was falling apart, and Liu filed for a divorce, which was approved by a local court, even though the two could not come to an agreement over the 200,000 yuan Liu had previously lent Zhao.

After Zhao refused to return the money, Liu filed a lawsuit last year. Zhao told the court that she was unable to return the money because she had already spent it on her business, which she claimed Liu also had a stake in.

But after she failed to prove the business was also owned in part by Liu, the court ruled against her.

The judge added that all the money should be returned to Liu given that the couple had agreed the amount would be given back to him if the two divorced.