ABSTRACT
Prior to 1999, China had three contract laws, namely, the Economic Contract Law,1 the Foreign Economic Contract Law,2 and the Technology Contract Law, and various regulations on contracts, such as the Regulations on Loan Contracts and the Regulations on Contracts for Construction and Installation Projects. Since the regulatory framework was piecemeal and many repetitions existed among the three contract laws, China found it necessary to enact a unified and comprehensive contract law. In 1999, the Contract Law was passed,3 repealing the previous three contract laws. The Contract Law consists of 428 articles and is divided into two sections: general principles and specific provisions. The specific-provision section deals with 15 particular types of contracts and contains the following chapters: purchase and sale; supply and use of electricity, water, gas, or heat; gift; loan; lease; financial leasing; work; construction project; transportation; technology; safe keeping; warehousing; mandate; brokerage; and intermediary.
