An Introduction to Chinese Contract Law

“Professor Mimi Zou’s new textbook on China’s current contract law and practice should prove to be a very valuable introduction to an extremely important topic for increasing numbers of lawyers and law students who appreciate the need to understand and deal with the legal system of the People’s Republic of China.”
(Professor Jerome A. Cohen, Faculty Director of the U.S.-Asia Law Institute, New York University)

Understanding the key concepts, rules, processes, and practice of Chinese contract law is essential to a wide range of business and commercial activities within and beyond the PRC. This book is an essential reference source for lawyers, law students, and business professionals from outside the People’s Republic of China (PRC) who are seeking to understand the foundational principles, institutions, rules, and practices of Chinese contract law.

Written in a clear, concise, and accessible style, the book provides the most up-to-date and informative account of the general law of contract in the PRC, including the main legislative instruments and relevant judicial interpretations. The book covers most important aspects of the subject area, including general principles, formation, terms, precontractual liability, validity, performance, modification, transfer and assignment, termination, and remedies for breach.

A unique feature of the book is its inclusion of 45 published cases in recent years (mostly from higher-level courts), which the author has carefully selected to illustrate the application of key principles and rules in a variety of disputes before the courts. Readers will gain a valuable insight into how Chinese contract law operates in context and in practice.