Progressing with the reform and opening up: Retrospective of China’s civil law (1978–2008)

Abstract

Over the past 30 years, Chinese civil and commercial law has made great achievements in providing theoretical support for Chinese legislation, establishing a theoretical system of civil and commercial law with Chinese characteristics, conducting in-depth and comparative research in this field, and making many summaries of trial practices, judicial interpretations and case studies of civil and commercial affairs. The academic circle has expressed professional comments regarding public events. The major theoretical breakthroughs include the clarification of the relationship between civil law and economic law, further research on the civil code system, basic consensus on the integration of civil law and commercial law, formation of the theoretical system of property right law with Chinese characteristics, innovation and development of contract law theories, basic information of personality law theories, and formation of the theoretical system of tort law. The orientation of Chinese civil and commercial law is to enhance comparative research on civil and commercial law nationally and internationally, focusing on the diversity of research methodologies.