China is a filial society; we get it. But a landmark legal case has recently emerged to show us just how much it is so. Here in Jiangsu, a senior lady has successfully convinced a court her daughter must visit her, once very 2 weeks.
On 18 October, the Qingjiangpu District Court of Huai’an City in Jiangsu announced the regrettable case of a mother suing her daughter for insufficient visits to her home to check up on her, as is customary in China.
And this where is gets complicated. Ms. Jin has two daughters. After they both married, Jin signed an agreement with her daughter’s husband, agreeing to jointly provide for a certain amount of alimony and share an amount of payment for medical insurance.
But eventually, her relationship between the daughter, surnamed Wang, and her mother deteriorated. Jin, meanwhile, was hospitalised for a long time, during which she was often accompanied by her elder daughter, while Wang never visited.
Hence the lawsuit that Jin filed in court, requesting Wang to visit her once a week, as the Yangtze Evening News reports.
After trial, the court held that the caregivers should fulfil their obligations in providing financial support, daily care and spiritual comfort to seniors, and to take care of their special needs.
According to the Law on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of the Elderly in China, family members should respect, care for and take care thereof, conscientiously and frequently visiting them.
In this case, Jin is elderly, weak and suffers from various afflictions. She has been experiencing long-term pain and mental stress, and, as her daughter, Wang should not only provide financial support for the elderly, but also spiritual comfort. The court determined that Wang visit her mother in law every 2 weeks at her residence.
According to reports, since 2020, the Qingjiangpu District Court has concluded a total of 12 criminal cases and 385 civil cases involving seniors. They mostly relate to disputes as to inheritance, maintenance and divorce.
