SPECIAL FEATURE: Going International: The Contract Law and CISG

More than a year ago the new PRC Contract Law (中华人民共和国合同法) came into effect. Even though this law has meant a significant step forward in creating a unified civil code, a number of uncertainties remain, especially with regard to international trade transactions involving foreign parties.

The subsequent Supreme People's Court, Several Issues Concerning the Application of the «PRC, Contract Law» Interpretation promulgated on December 19 1999 helped to clarify a few important issues. However, another major potential problem area remains: The implications from and relations to the United Nations Convention on the International Sales of Goods (CISG), a unified model law that has been genuine Chinese law since 1988.