1999 · Civil codes

Contract Law of the People's Republic of China

China

A single uniform contract law for China, which replaced three earlier laws on different kinds of contract.

Why it matters

It was drafted with comparative help from many countries, and became a main part of the Civil Code adopted in 2020.

Built on

1980 (in force 1988)

UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG)

International

followed the sales convention's rules on formation and breach

1994

UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial Contracts

International

drew on the principles' rules, in the draft stage

Went on to shape

2020 (in force 2021)

Civil Code of the People's Republic of China

China

took the Contract Law as its contract part

Countries in the Legal Families Atlas

China

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