The Rule of Law Experiment in China’s Pilot Free Trade Zones: The Problems and Prospects of Introducing Hong Kong Law into Guangdong

Abstract

This article introduces China’s pilot free trade zone strategy and its influence on the rule of law, focusing on the Guangdong pilot free trade zone. Viewed as a new round of opening up and reforms, China’s pilot free trade zones are designed to test rules included in the new round of regional negotiations of investment and trade treaties. The practices of China’s pilot free trade zones are expected to improve the rule of law of the country. The Guangdong pilot free trade zone has been striving to draw on experiences from Hong Kong to improve the rule of law. This article explores how Hong Kong laws and legal experiences have been introduced into the Guangdong pilot free trade zone and the extent to which they will affect the rule of law on the mainland and the interregional conflict of law.