Actually, you answered your own question.

Chinese do expect that if a loan is requested, it's a gift.

NEVER loan money if you cannot afford to give it away.

You can threaten legal action, if it's a large amount. It will take a long time in the courts, and you're still not guaranteed to get your money back. Having the phone numbers of family members might help...put pressure on them, make them lose face...but still...

A Chinese family is responsible for the financial burden of their own kin. If they seek outside assistance, they're already in dutch with their own family.

Through an influenced media, like 非诚勿扰.  lol

Actually, we all haven't made that "mistake."

A general rule of thumb, which is applicable in this type of circumstance (for any person in any country) is; consider the money you "lend" a gift. That way, you won't be so incensed by not getting the money back that you post generalized questions, inditing a whole nationality . You make it sound like every Chinese person does this, and that simply is not true.

If you can't afford to give money to someone who you think needs it, there is a very small word which you can use, being, "no."

Btw, I love how you use the word "we" in your explanation. Or perhaps that is the royal "we." 

  I've never lent money to a Chinese friend, none have ever asked. The last money I lent in China was to an American friend. He put off paying me back for nearly a month, during which time I learnt that he had a reputation for doing this. In the end I called him and said, "I'm coming to get my money. You're going to give it to me. See you soon." He handed it to me at the door.

  Neither a lender, nor a borrower be.

Threaten to rape that person if he did not pay back....that will give him nightmares at night

I can be pretty critical of China, but for once my experience here is entirely positive. Some Chinese pay their debts back.

I have lent money to a Chinese person once. A former colleague had his wallet  (with id card, bank card and all money) stolen just before Spring Festival and he said that he could not possibly ask a Chinese person for money to tide him over for the time it would take to have everything replaced. To borrow/lend money from family/friends during this time would have been a dreadful loss of face for him, and general bad luck all around (he said, buggered if I know how Chinese luck works...)

So my partner and I gave him 300 quai, having discussed the high possibility this would end up being something of a gift. But no, we had the money back, in its entirety, the day his new card came.

I suggest you get in touch with Alex or Nick at International Recovery Services and they will get your money back for you on a contingency basis.  If they don't collect you don't pay them.   Their email is within90days  at  gmail dotcom.  Two years ago they got my  50,000 rmb deposit back from a crooked Chinese car dealer who was hoping my visa would not get renewed so he would not have to pay me back.

Never had a problem loaning money to Chinese, but then again I only loaned money to colleagues which I see everyday, and know somewhat pretty well.  Once was 100 rmb for a grocery store trip, another was 500 rmb for a spur-of-the-moment puppy purchase .  Both times I was paid back in less than a week, and without any badgering on my part.

I do give and take stuff with friends of any nationality. So far no problem for me even the amount ranges from few hundred RMBs to thousands. Well the highest amount is about 22,000 RMB (still need to get it).

My Chinese colleagues told me that if the person is trustworthy, the maximum duration one can borrow or lend is three months. And, if the big festival or any special day such as national holiday or spring festival is coming near then it is usually returned before that time without asking for it.

So far I haven't met anyone running away with my money.......and if a friend took only about 2-300 RMB, I usually don't care much about it...I just consider that I threw a birthday party for him with that money ..hehe...

How to collect big amount???No idea! my colleagues are telling me just to call that person everyday to return the money....talk about it in front of other people. Then the person will either run away or return the money(Face issue)...

In my experience, I have always been paid back in less than a week without having to ask or remind them.  Two years ago, I lent a colleague 3,000 RMB and in less than two days I was paid back.

Amateur anthropologist here: Maybe this is one case where "Face" works to our advantage? To not pay a debt they lose "Face"? Just me speculating outloud...

I would guess that if you have a delinquent account, you could contact the PSB if you have any evidence that said debt exists.

Usually my friends repay but one "peng you" emigrated to Canada after I lent him $15,000 for his wedding to impress and win over his new inlaws. The wedding was a big success but then the assh*le changed his telephone numbers and moved to Canada.  I hired Nick Alessio from International Recovery Services in Beijing. I got my money back in three weeks less the 25% Nick charged me.  Actually he gave me a choice, either pay him a flat fee of $3,000 up front or 25% if and when he collects. I chose the 25%.  He never told me how he did it but he got my money and an apology from peng you's father. I still have Nick's card and his email  is IRSAsia@gmail.  I give him two thumbs up and my gratitude.  He even got the guy to pay me 5% interest for the 13 month absence he took before I hired IRS! 

Theses days I don't lend money to "friends" any more - period.

Only once has a client ever refused to pay money for services rendered.  After many phone calls and in-person visits to his office I still got nothing.

Being in China, I decided to put a little guangxi into action and after a couple of phone calls and one night hosting a KTV party, the former client came to my office, returned the money and offered a formal apology.  

you should never loan money to anyone unless you dont plan on getting it back i do loan money to fellow americans and americans only but never more than 200 rmb at a time

Depends on the size of the debt. If it is less than 500 yuan, I don't make a big deal out of it and let it go as a learning experience. But anyone who stiffs me just once, will be on my  shit list forever.

You could also hire a really BIG Mongolian......

Introduce the deadbeat to my son Mario. He's 6'4" and is a solid 310 pounds. He's a gentle giant in reality, but he makes everyone nervous and wanting a "harmonious world" in a hurry.

its really a big problem  , even for Chinese  COLLECT DEBT FROM CHINESE PEOPLE 

its really a big problem  , even for Chinese  COLLECT DEBT FROM CHINESE PEOPLE 

"Sooner or later we all make the mistake of lending money ..."

No, 'we all' don't make that mistake. Maybe it's just you?

Meh, the only time I ever lent someone money it was 300 kuai and we were totally hammered. I never got it back, but didn't care cause that friend would never let you pay for a drink anyway and I know he just legitimately forgot. So why bring it up?

People should borrow money from their family members and when people ask me for loans in China, I give them the same answer I always hear being given to foreigners...:I'm sorry but its not convenient"

Hey man they have things called banks.  When someone wants a loan, I tell them how to get to the closest bank.  I learned a long time ago not to lend money to people when I got stiffed by a bud who needed $800 to complete his tuition payment at NYU. It took me 3 years to get my money back and I had to nag the shit out of the guy. Needless to say it killed our friendship too.

My girlfriend says...

Track down their parents, call them, visit them, annoy them, etc. etc.. Parents will put pressure on their children to pay you the money back because it is a loss of face thing.

Doesn't matter how old the parents are.. If they're still breathing, find them and tell them how bad their children are being to you (owe you money, etc.).

Remember being in Elementary school and your friends said they were going to go tell your parents because you stole your friend's candy? Yeah, it's like that.. Except in China they never grow out of it.

Buy a replica gun and put on a VERY angry face and demand you money NOW!

I need/want a big guy to accompany me, to my daughters workplace, she hasn't been paid and I

1. want her to be paid

2. want to intimidate this asshole

3. had to deal with this too many times !!!  jerks that don't pay their employees