This is a two-week intensive course held in Beijing each year. It provides an introduction into the legal system of the People's Republic of China with particular reference to modern developments in China international business and economic law, commercial law and other important legal areas. China opened up its economy to market forces only in the late 1970s. When it did so, law and the legal system lost the pariah status they had been given during the Proletarian Cultural Revolution. The course examines the role law plays in modern China by reference to its historical antecedents. It looks at particular areas of development not only for their own sake but also as indicators of the changing role of law in Chinese society. Areas which are the subject of particular attention include: the elements and institutions of Chinese legal system; the role of law in Chinese society from the perspectives of legal history and philosophy; contract law; intellectual property law; foreign investment law; corporate and securities law; foreign trade law and mediation, arbitration and civil enforcement procedures.

More information can be found on the Overseas Elective Courses in Law Website.