Chinese Legal Research

Chinese Legal Research Guides

Online Guides:
 
Chinese Legal Research at the University of Washington
Research Guide prepared by University of Washington School of Law, Marian Gould Gallagher Law Library. East Asian Law Department.
 
CRS Report: China’s Political System in Charts: A Snapshot Before the 20th Party Congress
Author: Susan V. Lawrence (Congressional Research Service, Specialist in Asian Affairs) November, 2021
 
Globalex: Finding Chinese Law on the Internet 
A succinct research guide covering China online resources by Joan Liu, updated by Anna Guo
Gloabalex; Macau: Special Administrative Region of People’s Republic of China Jurisdiction
By Raquel Ferreira Alves
Globalex: One Country, Two Systems” of Legal Research: A Brief Guide to Finding the Law of China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
A comprehensive research guide prepared by Roy L. Sturgeon and Sergio Stone.
Globalex: Taiwan Legal Research Guide
A succinct research guide prepared by Xiaomeng Zhang.
 
Law Library of Congress In Custodia Legis :
A Guide to Chinese Legal Research: Official Online Publication of Chinese Law (Update, December 2019)
A Guide to Chinese Legal Research: Administrative Regulations (January, 2020)
 
Law Library of Congress Guide to Law Online: Hong Kong
Law Library of Congress website
 
Law Library of Congress Guide to Law Online: Macau
 
Law Library of Congress Guide to Law Online: People's Republic of China
 
Law Library of Congress Guide to Law Online: Taiwan
 
Law Library of Congress Legal Research Guide: China
 
LLRX: A Complete Research Guide to The People's Republic of China (PRC)
Wei Luo and Joan Liu.
 
Yale Guide: Chinese Studies
A research guide for online resources related to Chinese studies at the Yale University Library by Chinese Studies Librarian, Michael Meng.

Print Guides:

Chinese law and legal research / by Wei Luo. Morris Call Number: LES KNQ47 .L86 2005

Chinese law: Context and transformation / Jianfu Chen. Morris Call Number: LES KNQ68 .C3638X 2016

Chinese legal research / Paul Kossof. Morris Call Number: LES KNQ47 .K67X 2014

Hong Kong legal research : methods and skills / John Bahrij. Morris Call Number: LES   KNQ47 .B34 2007

The Hong Kong legal system / Stefan H. C. Lo, Kevin Kwok-yin Cheng, Wing Hong Chui. Morris Call Number: LES KNQ9308 .L627X 2020

 

 

Legal System, History of the Party, Legal Tradition and History

Baum, R.,Burying Mao (1996)*

Buhi, J., Global constitutional narratives of autonomous regions : the constitutional history of Macau (2021)

Chen, A., An introduction to the legal system of the People's Republic of China (2011)*

Chen, A., The changing legal orders in Hong Kong and mainland China : essays on "One Country, Two Systems" (2021)

Cohen, Edwards, and Chen, ed., Essays on China's legal tradition (1980)

Lieberthal, K., Governing China (2004)*

O'Brien, K., Reform without liberalization, china's National People's Congress and the Politics of Institutional Change (2008)*

Shambaugh, D., China's Communist Party: Atrophy and Adaptation (2008)*

Wang, L., Self-determination and minority rights in China / by Linzhu Wang (2019)

Overview, Rule of Law and Legal Reform

Balme, S. & Dowdle, ed., Building Constitutionalism in China (2009)*

Chen, J., Chinese Law: Towards an Understanding of Chinese Law, its Nature and Development (1999)

Chen, J., Chinese Law: Context and Transformation (2008)*

Chen, J., Chinese Law: Context and Transformation (2016)

Clarke, D., China's Legal System: New Developments, New Challenges (2008)*

Fu, H., Transparency challenges facing China / edited by Fu Hualing, Michael Palmer, and Zhang Xianchu (2019)

Goldman, M., From Comrade to Citizen: The Struggle for Political Rights in China (2005)*

Liu, Chenglin, Chinese law in context (2020)

O' Brien, K. Reform Without Liberalization, China's National People's Congress and the Politics of Institutional Change (2008)*

Peerenboom, R., China's Long March Toward the Rule of Law (2002)*

Yu, K., Democracy and the rule of law in China (2010)

Zhao, Y., Chinese legal reform and the global legal order : adoption and adaptation (2018)

Constitutional Law and Procedure

Balme, S. & Dowdle, ed., Building Constitutionalism in China (2009)*

Su, L.,The constitution of ancient China / Su Li (2018)

Administrative Law and Procedure

Ginsburg, T. and Chen, A., ed., Administrative law and governance in Asia : comparative perspectives (2009)*

Peerenboom, R., Administrative Law and Governance in Asia (2009)*

Woo, M. & Gallagher, M., ed., Chinese Justice Civil Dispute Resolution in Contemporary China (2011)*

Civil Law and Procedure

The draft civil code of the People's Republic of China : English translation (2010)

Chen, J., From administrative authorisation to private law : a comparative perspective of the developing civil law in the People's Republic of China (1995)

Towards a Chinese civil code : comparative and historical perspectives / edited by Lei Chen & C.H. (Remco) van Rhee

Criminal Law and Procedure

Liu, Y., Origins of Chinese law : penal and administrative law in its early development (1998)

Luo, W., The amended criminal procedure law and the criminal court rules of the People's Republic of China : with English translation, introduction, and annotation. (2000)

Luo, W., The amended and annotated Criminal Code of the People's Republic of China with official interpretations. 2d ed. (2012)

Luo, W., The amended and annotated Criminal procedure law of the People's Republic of China with official interpretations. (2018)

The amended and annotated Criminal procedure law of the People's Republic of China with official interpretations

McConville, M., Criminal Justice in China: An Empirical Inquiry (2011)*

Mulhahn, K., Criminal Justice in China: A History (2009)*

Sapio, F., Sovereign power and the law in China (2010)

Anti-Monopoly/Antitrust Law

Competition law and intellectual property in China / edited by Ioannis Kokkoris, Spyros Maniatis, Xiaoye Wang ; associated editor, Cristina Volpin. (2019)

Jin, S. and Luo, W., Competition law in China (2002)

Harris, S., Anti-monopoly law and practice in China (2011)

Shan, H., The protection of trade secrets in China (2008)

Wang, X. and Su, J., Competition law in China (2012)

Williams, M., Competition policy and law in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan (2005)

Business/Commercial Law

China business law guide

Chen, J. and Ke, S., ed., China master business law guide : commentary & analysis (2009)

Fu, J., Corporate disclosure and corporate governance in China (2010)

Moser, M., Managing business disputes in today's China : duelling with dragons (2007)

Roos, M., Chinese commercial law : a practical guide (2010)

Zimmerman, J.K., China law deskbook : a legal guide for foreign-invested enterprises (2010)

Intellectual Property

Alford, W., To Steal a Book is an Elegant Offense (1997)*

Chow, Daniel C.K., A primer on foreign investment enterprises and protection of intellectual property inChina (2003)

Clark, D., Patent litigation in China (2011)

Devonshire-Ellis, C., Scott A., and Woollard S., ed., Intellectual property rights in China (2011)

Dimitrov, M.K., Piracy and the state : the politics of intellectual property rights in China (2011)

Hu, R., Guide to China copyright law studies (2000)

Hu, R., Research guide to Chinese copyright law (2016)

Hu, R., Research guide to Chinese patent law and practice (2002)

Hu, R., Research guide to Chinese trademark law and practice (2009)

Kossof, P. Chinese trademark law : the New Chinese Trademark Law of 2014 (2014)

Lin, Zhou, ed., China court cases on intellectual property rights (2011)

Luo, D., Landmark copyright cases in China : an in-depth analysis / Luo Dongchuan ; translated by He Jiong (2019)

Mertha, A.C., The Politics of Piracy: Intellectual Property in Contemporary China (2005)*

Tan, L., Pirates in the Middle Kingdom : the ensuing trademark battle (2007)

Wang, Z., Landmark trademark cases in China : an in-depth analysis (2017)

Family Law

Keller, P., ed., Obligations and property rights in China

Richards, Chen and del Pezzo, Practical global family law : United States, China, and Italy (2011)

Labor and Employment Law

Brown R.C., Understanding labor and employment law in China (2010)

Hunter, C., et al., Employment law in China(2008)

Lauffs, A., Employment law & practice in China (2008)

Lu, H., The right to work in China : Chinese labor legislation in the light of the international covenant on economic, social and cultural rights (2011)

Neal, A. (ed.), Cross-currents in modern Chinese labour law (2014)

Environmental Law

Bennett, J. et al., ed., Environmental protection in China : land-use management (2011)

Chinese Academy of Social Sciences yearbooks. Environment. Monographic Series. (2007-)

Elgar Research Handbook of Chinese Environmental Law (2015)

McElwee, C., Environmental law in China : managing risk and ensuring compliance (2011)

Rooij, B., Regulating land and pollution in China : lawmaking, compliance, and enforcement : theory and cases (2006)

Stalley, P., Foreign firms, investment, and environmental regulation in the People's Republic of China (2010)

Sun, X., et al., eds., Water resources management in the People's Republic of China (2010)

Zeng, K. and Eastin, J., Greening China : the benefits of trade and foreign direct investment (2011)

Zhou, Chen, Legal barriers to technology transfer under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change : the example of China (2019)

Property Rights, Land Tenure/Use

Ho, P., Institutions in transition : land ownership, property rights, and social conflict in China (2005)

Keller, P., ed., Obligations and property rights in China (2011)

Zelin, M., Ocko, J., and Gardella, R., ed., Contract and property in early modern China (2004)

Arbitration, Mediation and Dispute Resolution

Chen, D., International arbitration in the People's Republic of China : commentary, cases and materials(2000)

Chen, H., Predictability of 'public policy' in article V of the New York Convention under mainland China's judicial practice (2017)

Cohen, J. et al., ed., Arbitration in China : a practical guide (2004)

Ho, V., Labor dispute resolution in China : implications for labor rights and legal reform (2003)

Mo, J., Arbitration law in China (2001)

Tang, J., A historical, philosophical, and legal analysis of Chinese mediation (1999)

Tao, J., Arbitration law and practice in China (2012)

Woo, M. & Gallagher, M., ed., Chinese Justice Civil Dispute Resolution in Contemporary China (2011)*

Zhu, S., Securities dispute resolution in China (2011)

 

Martime Law

Chen, X., Limitation of liability for maritime claims : a study of U.S. law, Chinese law and international conventions (2001)

Zou, K., China's marine legal system and the law of the sea (2005)

Taxation

Chao, J., The regulatory environment of Chinese taxation (2005)

International Law

Pittman, P. Assessing treaty performance in China : trade and human rights (2014)

Xue, Hanquin, Chinese contemporary perspectives on international law : history, culture and international law (2012)

International Economic Law

Wang, Guiguo, International Investment law: a Chinese Perspective (2015)

Chaisse, Julien, China's international investment strategy: bilateral, regional and global law and policy (2019)

Scholarship and Reference Tools

Zhang, Nongji, Legal scholars and scholarship in the People's Republic of China : the first generation (1949-1992).

Recommended reading for Spring 2012 Reading Group on Chinese law*.

AsianLII: Laws of the People's Republic of China

The website contains an A to Z list of laws of the PRC derived mainly from government websites ChinaLaw (Information Centre for Legislative Affairs Office of the PRC State Council) and ChinaCourt (Supreme Peoples' Court).

AsianLII: Laws of the People's Republic of China(link is external)

National Database of Laws and Regulations (国家法律法规数据库)

Official database of laws and regulations launched February 2021. Currently in Chinese only and contains: Constitution, Laws, Administrative Regulations, Local Regulations, Judicial Interpretations. See additional information (link is external) about the scope of coverage of the database.

National Database of Laws and Regulations (link is external)

China Court (中国法院网)

Official website of the Supreme People's Court and People's Court Newspaper

China Court 中国法院网(link is external)

China Law Translate

Interactive, crowd-sourced, English-Chinese translation website for legal materials and news. Created and maintained by Jeremy Daum at the China Center, Yale Law School.

China Law Translate(link is external)

China Local Gazetteers Database (新方志 )

Contains approximately 25,000 volumes of Chinese gazetteers published after 1949, covering 31 provinces and autonomous regions of the People's Republic of China; in addition, provides detailed geographic and historical records of provinces, prefectures, cities, and smaller district/administrative units.

China Local Gazetteers Database(link is external)

China Media Law Database

The open-source database provides a collection of English-language translations of Chinese media policy laws and regulations, including those related to copyright. The latest updates are from 2015.

China Media Law Database(link is external)

Database of the National People's Congress (历届全国人大资料信息)

A collection of reports on the National People's Congresses, primarily by People's Daily and People's Daily Online. It includes agendas, lists of deputies, proposals, documents, resolutions, press conferences and news reports, including photos and video.

Database of the National People's Congress

Gazette of the State Council of the People's Republic of China

A bilingual website including gazettes issued by the State Council 2000-current.

Gazette of the State Council of the People's Republic of China(link is external)

Law-Lib.com Free Database (法律图书馆)

A free comprehensive database of PRC laws and regulations at both the national and local levels. Secondary sources including theses and dissertations, directories, book abstracts are also covered.

Law-Lib.com Free Database 法律图书馆(link is external)

Laws of the People's Republic of China

A looseleaf publication of English translation of major laws compiled by the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China (1987-2003 ceased publication). It has good English translation and indices arranged by subject and date of promulgation of legislation.

Morris Call Number: LES KNQ12 .C484

Lexis China (律商网)

Comprehensive bilingual database including legislation, case law, administrative decisions, national standards, journals and practice notes.

Lexis China

Ministry of Justice of the PRC (中国政府法律信息网 - 行政法规库)

With up-to-date administrative regulations.

MOJ Administrative Regulations

PKUlaw (ChinaLawInfo/InfoLawChina (北大法宝)

Also known as ChinaLawInfo (Chinese platform) and InfoLawChina (English platform). A comprehensive bilingual database for searching PRC laws and regulations (since 1949), cases, journal articles, and gazettes.

PKUlaw (ChinaLawInfo/InfoLawChina)

 

 

China International Commercial Court (最高人民法院任命国际商事法庭)

Bilingual website with information on judges profiles, laws and legislation, judicial interpretation, representative cases, and selections of articles.

China International Commercial Court 最高人民法院任命国际商事法庭(link is external)

China Maritime Trial (中国海事审判)

China Maritime Trial (English)(link is external)

Court Case Related to the Basic Law Database

Court Case Related to the Basic Law Database (link is external)

Law-Lib.com Free Database (法律图书馆)

A free comprehensive database of PRC laws and regulations at both the national and local levels. Secondary sources including theses and dissertations, directories, book abstracts are also covered.

Law-Lib.com Free Database 法律图书馆(link is external)

Lexis China (律商网)

Comprehensive bilingual database including legislation, case law, administrative decisions, national standards, journals and practice notes.

Lexis China

PKUlaw (ChinaLawInfo/InfoLawChina (北大法宝)

Also known as ChinaLawInfo (Chinese platform) and InfoLawChina (English platform). A comprehensive bilingual database for searching PRC laws and regulations (since 1949), cases, journal articles, and gazettes.

PKUlaw (ChinaLawInfo/InfoLawChina)

Supreme People's Courts Case Database (人民法院案例库)

Supreme People's Courts Case Database (人民法院案例库)

Provides a collection of edited cases (not original judgments)

Stanford Law School China Guiding Cases Project (中国指导性案例项目)

An initiative launched by Stanford Law School to make a searchable database of “guiding cases” from China’s Supreme People’s Court available in Chinese and English translation. The website's Wex-like feature allows legal experts from around the world to provide commentaries on the decisions. Website closed 2021.

Stanford Law School Guiding Cases Project(link is external)

Zhongguo shen pan an li yao lan (中国审判案例要览)

The print collection of notable cases 1993- published by Renmin University (人民大学); also in PKUlaw case law database.

MORRIS

Library of Congress: Global Legal Monitor: China: Supreme People’s Court Issues Guidance on Similar-Case Searches (September 2020) (Link is external)

Supreme Court Monitor blog post: Supreme People's Court issues guidance on cross-border commercial and procedural legal issues (January 2021) 

Supreme Court Monitor blog post: The Supreme People's Court's new case database (March 6 2024)

Select Journals and Journal Portals:

The China Journal

Contemporary China Centre, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University - 1995-present (UES)

Morris Call Number: DS701 .A93

The China Quarterly

University of London, 1961-present - UES, L1. Also available online.

Morris Call Number: DS701 .C472

The China Quarterly (Online)

Chinese Journal of Comparative Law (Online)

Chinese Journal of Comparative Law (Online)

Chinese Journal of International Law

Chinese Journal of International Law

World Academy Press, 2002-present - UES

Morris Call Number: K3. H636Online

China Law and Practice

The online newsletter has new business law an regulations updates and law archive. In English. The library has print subscription 1989-2012 (UES). The library does not subscribe to the resource. Selective content is available here.

Morris Call Number: K3 .H57

China Law Reporter

China Committee, under Section of International Law of the American Bar Association - 1980-1991/93 at LSF, 1980-1999 online. As of June 2018, publication resumed (Volume 7 Issue 1).

Morris Call Number: K3 .H6China Law Reporter (ABA International Law Section. China Committee)(link is external)

HeinOnline(link is external)

China Review

Chinese University Press, 2001-present - UES.

Morris Call Number: DS701 .C486

China Rights Forum

Human Rights in China, Inc. (1996-present) - UES.

Morris Call Number: JC599.C6 C47

Online(link is external)

Columbia Journal of Asian Law

Columbia University Law School, 1996-present (UES). Also available in electronic form at EBSCO, WilsonWeb, HeinOnline, and Westlaw.

Morris Call Number: K3 .O4 ; Online

Fa Xue (法学)

2002-present - UES

Morris Call Number: K6 .A2183

Frontiers of law in China : Selected publications from Chinese universities.

Morris Call Number: KNQ68 .F76Online

Journal of Contemporary China

Online

Law Yearbook of China 中国法律年鉴

1989-1998 - LES. Also available online in ChinaLawInfo/LawInfoChina.

Morris Call Number: KNQ440 .A13 C48

Law Yearbook of China

Peking University Transnational Law Review

Peking University Transnational Law Review (Online)

Tsinghua China law review

Tsinghua China law review (Online)

Portals:

China National Social Sciences Database

A government-sponsored database of journals and dissertations published and/or funded by the PRC Government.

China National Social Sciences Database(link is external)

PKUlaw (ChinaLawInfo/InfoLawChina (北大法宝)

Also known as ChinaLawInfo (Chinese platform) and InfoLawChina (English platform). A comprehensive bilingual database for searching PRC laws and regulations (since 1949), cases, journal articles, and gazettes.

PKUlaw (ChinaLawInfo/InfoLawChina

Duxiu (读秀)

Duxiu 读秀, also known as Chinese Google Scholar, is a huge content-based database consisting of 800,000,000 full text pages, with very flexible searches (full-text, books, journal and newspaper articles, theses, conference proceedings, etc.). Particularly, it provides information about and, in many cases, full-text searching and/or limited previews (up to about 20 pages) of 2,600,000 Chinese books. You can then use the “图书馆文献传递” function to email to yourself 50 pages or 1/5th of the book (whichever is less) at a time. Duxiu is a useful reference tool for discovering bibliographic information; locating particular search terms within a text; and for getting a preview of a text. Results vary by the text. IE recommended.

Duxiu(link is external)

East View Chinese Academic Journals (CAJ) 中国期刊全文数据

Subscription covers usage of the full text Chinese Academic Journals Database (1994- ), Century Journals Project (1955-1993), China Master/Doctoral full-text Database (2000- ) and the Chinese Core Newspapers full-text Database (2000-). Offers easy cross-database searching. Bilingual search platform, bibliographic citations and abstracts but full-text contents in Chinese only.

East View Chinese Academic Journals (CAJ) 中国期刊全文数据库(link is external)

Wan Fang China Online Journals - COJ (万方数字化期刊 

Selective coverage of minor Chinese legal journals.

Wan Fang Chinese Online Journals (COJ)

SSRN Asian Law eJournal

Online. (Link is external) Portal for scholarly working papers.

China Economy, Public Policy, and Security Database (皮书数据库)

Pishu, which literally means "cover-books," are high-value analytical reports intended to guide policymaking in the People's Republic of China. These reports feature exclusive research and analysis by the prestigious Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and authors from similar institutions, and present objective analysis versus official government messaging on strategic issues
 
 
 
 

CEIC Data

CEIC Data contains economic, industrial and financial time-series data. Our Global Database offers unprecedented coverage of 221 countries in Asia, Europe and Central Asia, Middle East, Africa and the Americas. EIC also offers 18 macro-economic concepts, and 1,400,000 time series. Data comes from analysts on the ground and the prime national and regional statistical agencies and major industrial data issuing organizations of each country covered. The CEIC Data Manager provides access to the entire CEIC database from within the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet application. Times-series can be directly retrieved from the database and imported into Excel for quick analysis.
 
 
 
 
China Statistical Yearbooks Database (中国经济社会发展统计数据库)
China Statistical Yearbooks Database 中国经济社会发展统计数据库 (CSYD) is a leading resource of statistical data in China. CSYD serves the functions of full-text browsing and downloading of statistical yearbooks, statistical research, and personalized data mining and analysis.
 
 
 
 

China Yearbook Full-text database(中國年鑑全文數據庫)

The database contains 1463 titles which covers information on the level of a country, a specific industry or field, or a particular region from every aspect such as politics, economy, science and technology, culture and education.
 
 
 
 
National Bureau Statistics of China
 
 
 
 
National Population Census of China Database
 

Collects all data of population census in 2010 published by China Statistics Press, including all population data of the whole country, 31 provinces and centrally administered municipalities and 2872 units at county level. 

 

 
 
Report on China Law Development - Database and Indicators (中国法律发展报告 )
 
 
 
 
Xin Fang Zhi - Local gazetteers (新方志 )
China local gazetteers currently contains over 20,000 volumes of Chinese chorographic books, covering 31 provinces and autonomous regions. The database provides detailed geographic and historical records of provinces, prefectures, cities, and smaller district administration units. Contents cover historical as well as contemporary facts related to the geographical areas, concerning general surveys, economy, public finance, governance, public security, urban and rural development, agriculture, industry, transportation, business, natural science, social science, education, culture and sports, public health, etc.
Caijing Magazine (财经杂志)
A business news magazine offering daily news about China in English and Chinese. The law library has a subscription to the print magazine which is available in Chinese only and receipts of the current year are retained in China Center at Baker Hall. EAL has current issues.
 
 
 
 
Caixin Global
The English News Service of Caixin Media (财新网)
 
 
 
 
China Core Newspapers Database
Full-text electronic articles of over 300 major newspapers in China at national, regional, and local levels. Bilingual Search platform but contents are in Chinese only.
 
 
 
 
China Digital Times (CDT)
A collaborative news website covering China's social and political transition and its emerging role in the world. Maintained by the Berkeley Internet Project, UC-Berkeley.
 
 
 
 
China IPR
A blog that focuses on existing and future China policies revolving around intellectual property by Mark Allen Cohen.
 
 
 
 
China Justice Observer (CJO) 中国司法观察
Current news and commentaries on issues about the Chinese judicial system. In English. The website is sponsored by the Academy of Comprehensive Rule of Law at China University of Political Science and Law, in partnership with the Qidu Legal Translation and the Yuanhe Partners.
 
 
 
 
China Law Blog
Written by Dan Harris, an international lawyer based in the United States and Steve Dickinson, an international lawyer based in China, the blog focuses on business-related legal issues.
 
 
 
 
China Law Professor Blog
An academically-oriented blog maintained by Donald C. Clarke, Professor of Law, George Washington University Law School. It includes up-to-date news on China-related legal publications. The blog was renamed in 2017 as the China Collection.
 
 
 
 
China Law Translate
Interactive, crowd-sourced, English-Chinese translation website for legal materials and news. Created and maintained by Jeremy Daum at the China Center, Yale Law School.
 
 
 
 
China Media Project
A portal of China-related news and commentaries.
 
 
 
 
Chinacourt.org (中国法院网)
Government website with news and legislation related to the court system and searchable case law.
 
 
 
 
Congressional - Executive Commission on China
The Commission was created by Congress in 2000 with the legislative mandate to monitor human rights and the development of the rule of law in China. The useful website covers selected PRC legislation and materials relating to international human rights.
 
 
 
 
Congressional Executive Commission on China - Annual Reports, Hearings and Roundtables
 
 
 
 
Database of the National People's Congress (历届全国人大资料信息)
A collection of reports on the National People's Congresses, primarily by People's Daily and People's Daily Online. It includes agendas, lists of deputies, proposals, documents, resolutions, press conferences and news reports, including photos and video.
 
 
 
 
Duxiu (读秀)
Duxiu 读秀, also known as Chinese Google Scholar, is a huge content-based database consisting of 800,000,000 full text pages, with very flexible searches (full-text, books, journal and newspaper articles, theses, conference proceedings, etc.). Particularly, it provides information about and, in many cases, full-text searching and/or limited previews (up to about 20 pages) of 2,600,000 Chinese books. You can then use the “图书馆文献传递” function to email to yourself 50 pages or 1/5th of the book (whichever is less) at a time. Duxiu is a useful reference tool for discovering bibliographic information; locating particular search terms within a text; and for getting a preview of a text. Results vary by the text. IE recommended.
 
 
 
 
International Society for Chinese Law and Society (中國法律與歷史國際學會)
The blog of International Society for Chinese Law and Society (中國法律與歷史國際學會) includes alerts of new scholarly publications, a members-only discussion forum and archival documents.
 
 
 
 
Legal Daily Online (Fa Zhi Wang 法制网)
One of the most important sources of up-to-date information about legal developments in China. This site contains articles on Chinese and international legal developments, full texts of newly promulgated laws and regulations, and binding supreme court legal interpretations.
 
 
 
 
Lexis China (律商网)
Comprehensive bilingual database including legislation, case law, administrative decisions, national standards, journals and practice notes.
 
 
 
 
National index to Chinese newspapers & periodicals (全国报刊索引 )
Indexes of Chinese newspapers and periodicals published since 1833.
 
 
 
 
NPC Observer
A blog with latest news about the legislative activities of NPC and NPCSC. Maintained by Changhao Wei and team.
 
 
 
 
People's Daily
China's official daily national newspaper. Often publishes full text of key laws and regulations soon after their promulgation. It is a good source for checking new developments.
 
 
 
 
PKUlaw (ChinaLawInfo/InfoLawChina (北大法宝)
Also known as ChinaLawInfo (Chinese platform) and InfoLawChina (English platform). A comprehensive bilingual database for searching PRC laws and regulations (since 1949), cases, journal articles, and gazettes.
 
 
 
 
Reading the China Dream
The web site is devoted to the subject of intellectual life in contemporary China, and more particularly to the writings of establishment intellectuals, featuring translations of Chinese texts and discussions of related issues.
 
 
 
 
Report on China Law Development - Database and Indicators (中国法律发展报告 )
 
 
 
 
Shen Bao 申報 (Online)
 

Shanghai-based Shen Bao (Shun Pao) was the longest-lasting newspaper in modern China. It was founded in 1872 and was closed 1949. Its full name was Shenjiang xin bao (Shenjiang New Post, also known as the Shanghai News)

 

 
 
State Council Legislation Database 中国政府法制信息网 法律法规数据库
Open access portal for searching national and local legislation and regulations and SC departmental directives.
 
 
 
 
Supreme People's Court Monitor
A blog created by Susan Finder, observing the Supreme People’s Court.
 
 
 
 
The China Collection
A successor blog to the China Prof Blog maintained by Professor Donald Clarke of George Washington University School of Law.
 
 
 
 
The Wire China
 
 
 
 
The “China, Law and Development” project (CLD)
The “China, Law and Development” project (CLD), funded by the European Research Council, is a 5-year, interdisciplinary and multi-sited research project that aims to understand the nature of order that underlies China’s new globalism, an order that is contingent on multiple sources, one of which may be law. Includes open-access research briefs and resources.
 
 
 
 
U.S. Congressional Research Service Reports (USC-US-China Institute)
A listing of U.S. Congressional Research Service Reports on US-China Relations.
 
 
 
Basic Law Court Case Database
 
 
 
 
Department of Justice (Hong Kong)
This is the official web site of the Department of Justice of the HKSAR. It includes The Laws of Hong Kong, which contains three sections: The Laws of Hong Kong; The Basic Law; and Treaties and International Agreement. The is a very good site with clear instructions for use. It is updated irregularly.
 
 
 
 
Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Gazette
Official source of primary law consisting of ordinances and regulations (subsidiary legislation), notices and texts of treaties to which HKSAR is a signatory.
 
 
 
 
Hong Kong e-Legislation 電子版香港法例
Hong Kong e-Legislation (HKeL) is the official database of Hong Kong legislation. It provides free online access to current and past versions of consolidated legislation dating back to 30 June 1997 and PDF copies marked “verified copy” have official legal status. Different searching and viewing modes are available to facilitate access to law. The database is maintained by the Department of Justice.
 
 
 
 
Hong Kong Institute of Arbitrators
A main objective of the Hong Kong Institute of Arbitrators is to promote arbitration and other alternative methods of dispute resolution in Hong Kong which is a service centre for Asia and gateway to China. The Hong Kong Institute of Arbitrators will be involved in the training of arbitrators and mediators and the setting of appropriate standards of conduct for arbitrators and mediators in Hong Kong. It is involved in law reform relevant both to arbitration and mediation. It is working to develop ties with other organisations involved in arbitration and alternate methods of dispute resolution, particularly those within China and in the Asia region. Available in English and Traditional Chinese.
 
 
 
 
Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC)
"HKIAC was established in 1985 to assist parties resolve their disputes through arbitration and other means of dispute resolution. A group of leading business and professional people in Hong Kong founded the HKIAC with the hope of making it the leading centre for dispute resolution in Asia. The business community and the Hong Kong Government have generously funded the HKIAC, but the Centre is totally independent and is financially self sufficient."
 
 
 
 
Hong Kong Judiciary
The website consists of information about the judiciary and selective judgments of all levels of the local court system.
 
 
 
 
Hong Kong Legal Information Institute (HKLII)
Consists of extensive judgments from various courts, ordinances and regulations and selective secondary sources.
 
 
 
 
Hong Kong Legal Reference System
Includes up to date decisions of significance from the following courts between 1946 and 1948, and from 1966 onwards from: Court of Final Appeal (since its establishment in 1997) Court of Appeal of the High Court Court of First Instance of the High Court Competition Tribunal (since its establishment in 2015) District Court Family Court Lands Tribunal
 
 
 
 
Hong Kong Primary Sources - Cases - in Lexis Plus
Includes CaseBase, a comprehensive citator, annotator and digester covering all significant Hong Kong judgments. All reported and the majority of unreported Hong Kong cases are covered, as well as key overseas cases (such as from England or other Commonwealth jurisdictions) where they are referred to by Hong Kong cases. Additionally, includes also unreported judgments from the Court of Final Appeal, Court of Appeal and Court of First Instance (High Court), District Court, Lands Tribunal and other specialist tribunals1905 to present; Hong Kong Cases 1946-current and Hong Kong Family Law Reports.
 
 
 
 
Hong Kong Primary Sources - Cases - in Westlaw
Full-text case reports from Hong Kong Law Reports and Digest, the authorized reporting service for the courts of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (the Court of Final Appeal, the Court of Appeal of the High Court, and the Court of First Instance of the High Court); the courts of the British crown colony of Hong Kong (the Privy Council, the Court of Appeal, and the High Court); and other courts and tribunals, such as the District Court and Lands Tribunal. Coverage begins with 1905. Also includes full-text case law documents from the Hong Kong Latest Judgments-Alert Service, including unreported decisions from the Hong Kong regional courts and the Privy Council of Great Britain. Coverage begins with 1999.
 
 
 
 
Hong Kong Primary Sources - Legislation - in Westlaw
Contains all Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Ordinances, Subsidiary Legislation and selected constitutional documents currently in force. Legislation that is enacted, but not yet in force is also included.
 
 
 
 
Hong Kong Primary Sources - Legislation - in Lexis Plus
The Laws of Hong Kong is a reference comprising all primary legislation (ordinances) and subsidiary legislation of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Over 500 individual ordinances and their subordinate instruments are included. CaseBase is a comprehensive citator, annotator and digester covering all significant Hong Kong judgments. All reported and the majority of unreported Hong Kong cases are covered, as well as key overseas cases (such as from England or other Commonwealth jurisdictions) where they are referred to by Hong Kong cases. Also includes selective coverage of primary sources in Lexis China 律商网.
 
 
 
 
PKUlaw (ChinaLawInfo/InfoLawChina (北大法宝)
Also known as ChinaLawInfo (Chinese platform) and InfoLawChina (English platform). A comprehensive bilingual database for searching PRC laws and regulations (since 1949), cases, journal articles, and gazettes.
 
 
 
 
The Basic Law of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China
An information portal with the legislative history of the Basic Law, its full text, judicial interpretation and decisions by the NPCSC as well as related resources.
 
 
 
 
The Basic Law portal
 
 
 
 
Treaties and International Agreements of Hong Kong (SAR)
This Government website provides a list of all the treaties that are in force and are applicable to the Hong Kong SAR. Most of the treaties on our list applied to Hong Kong prior to 1 July 1997 (the date of Hong Kong's reunification with the Mainland) and continue to apply from that date.
City University of Hong Kong law review
The CityU LR is the first of its kind law journal in Hong Kong in that this student-edited journal publishes papers by academics as well as students.
 
 
 
 
Globalex: One Country, Two Systems” of Legal Research: A Brief Guide to Finding the Law of China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
A comprehensive research guide prepared by Roy L. Sturgeon at Tulane Law Library and Sergio Stone at Stanford Law School's Robert Crown Law Library.
 
 
 
 
HKU Community Legal Information Centre
Provided by the University of Hong Kong Law and Technology Centre, the portal provides topical research guides into a wide range of topics relating to the laws of Hong Kong.
 
 
 
 
HKU Scholars Hub (香港大学学术库)
Theses, conference proceedings and other scholarly publications from University of Hong Kong are searchable.
 
 
 
 
Hong Kong Basic Law Drafting History Online
A joint project of the Centre for Comparative and Public Law and the HKU Libraries, the website provides drafting history of the Basic Law, news coverage, textual history and related LEGCO debates.
 
 
 
 
Hong Kong Free Press
An open-access independent online newspaper based in Hong Kong.
 
 
 
 
Hong Kong Journals Online
Hong Kong Journals Online (HKJO) is a full-text image database providing access to selected academic and professional journals, both in English and Chinese, published in Hong Kong. Titles included in this database cover a wide range of disciplines including law, medicine and education.
 
 
 
 
Hong Kong Law Journal
1971-present - UES
 
 
 
 
Hong Kong legal research : methods and skills (2007)
Hong Kong legal research : methods and skills / John Bahrij. Hong Kong : Sweet & Maxwell Asia, 2007.
 
 
 
 
Hong Kong Secondary Sources in Lexis
Investor's Guide to the Chinese Tax System; Lex Mundi's Guide to Doing Business In China.
 
 
 
 
Hong Kong Secondary Sources in Westlaw
Arbitration in Hong Kong: a Practical guide; Hong Kong Law Journal and Journal of Chinese and Comparative Law.
 
 
 
 
How to Find Theses & Dissertations: Hong Kong (CUHK)
A research guide on locating theses and dissertations from all seven universities in Hong Kong.
 
 
 
 
Legal research : a guide for Hong Kong students (1997)
Legal research : a guide for Hong Kong students / Jill Cottrell. Hong Kong : Hong Kong University Press, c1997.
 
 
 
 
Library of Congress Guide to Law Online: Hong Kong
Library of Congress website
 
 
 
 
Sources of Law Research Guide - Hong Kong (University of Hong Kong)
A comprehensive guide with sources useful for researching the laws of Hong Kong.
 
 
 
 
The Hong Kong legal system / Stefan H. C. Lo, Kevin Kwok-yin Cheng, Wing Hong Chui.
 
 
 
 
The Legal Systems of Hong Kong
A succinct research guide compiled by the Department of Justice of the Hong Kong SAR Government on its legal system.
 
 
 
 
The sources of Hong Kong law (1994)
The sources of Hong Kong law / Peter Wesley-Smith. Hong Kong : Hong Kong University Press, c1994

Research Guides:

A brief guide to the legal system of Macau Special Administrative Region of People’s Republic of China

The Guide to Law Online, prepared by the Law Library of Congress Public Services Division, is an annotated guide to sources of information on government and law available online. It includes selected links to useful and reliable sites for legal information.

Laws and Legislation

Adopted by the Eighth National People's Congress at its First Session on 31 March 1993.  Unofficial Translation, For Reference Only.

The Macau Government information portal includes the official gazettes, national and regional legislation, text of treaties and agreements of which Macau is a party, as well as government agency information.  The official languages of Macau, a Chinese Special Administrative Region, are Chinese and Portuguese. English translations of legislative texts are not readily available.  Legislation is searchable by topic and source (government agency).

Judicial Decisions

In Chinese and Portuguese. PDFs available.

 

Secondary Sources

Treatises:

Open-access sources:

 

 

 

Academia Sinica
A primarily Chinese site with some translated pages attached. Available databases include the semiannual survey research journal for studies of contemporary Taiwan and the Scripta Sinica, which gives full-text access to the dynastic histories and other traditional texts.
 
 
 
 
Airiti Library
Consists of two series, Chinese Electronic Periodical Services (CEPS) which include major academic journals from Taiwan and few selected journals from China, and Chinese Electronic Theses and Dissertations Services (CETD) which include full-text or citation of these and dissertations from major academic institutions in Taiwan and Hong Kong.
 
 
 
 
Chinese Electronic Theses and Dissertation Service - CETD (中文碩博士論文資料庫曁平台服務)
中文碩博士論文資料庫曁平台服務. "Database contains theses and dissertations from 14 Taiwan universities, including National Taiwan University, National Taipei University of Technology, Tapei National University of the Arts, National Tsing Hua University and National Taiwan Normal University, with over 27,000 bibliographic citations and 16,500 theses in full text."
 
 
 
 
Executive Yuan
Click on the "English" tab for a translated site.
 
 
 
 
Globalex: Taiwan Legal Research Guide
A succinct research guide prepared by Xiaomeng Zhang.
 
 
 
 
Judicial Yuan
The website covers the Constitutional Court cases and interpretation (in English and Chinese) and full text searching of the the judgments and interpretations of the lower courts is in Chinese only.
 
 
 
 
Law Library of Congress Guide to Law Online: Taiwan
 
 
 
 
LawBank (法源 )
A commercial site with materials derived from the government sources. The library does NOT have a subscription but free limited logins are available for searching the laws and regs section of the database.
 
 
 
 
Laws and Regulations Database of the Republic of China
Official site with laws and regulations established by the Taiwanese Ministry of Justice. In Chinese and English.
 
 
 
 
Legal Source
Four journals on Taiwanese law are included in the database: 1. Taiwan Law Review (月旦法學雜誌)04/01/2016 to present 2. Taiwan Jurist (月旦法學教室)01/01/2013 to present 3. Financial and Economic Law Review (月旦財經法雜誌) 11/01/2015 to present 4. Court Case Times (月旦裁判時報) 08/01/2015 to present
 
 
 
 
Legislative Yuan ROC
Legislative Yuan main site, Legislative Information portal and Legislation Search template. The search platform for legislation is in Chinese only.
 
 
 
 
National Central Library (Taiwan)
Provides access to the union catalog of major universities in Taiwan, government documents, periodicals directory and theses and dissertations. Mainly in Chinese.
 
 
 
 
Supreme Court of the Republic of China
In English and Chinese.
 
 
 
 
Taiwan Colonial Statistics Database (臺灣日治時期統計資料庫)
Included in Database: Taiwan fa shi zheng yan jiu zi liao ku 臺灣法實證研究資料庫
 
 
 
 
Taiwan Database for Empirical Legal Studies
Taiwan Database for Empirical Legal Studies (臺灣法實證研究資料庫) consists of links to the Taiwan Colonial Statistics Database, Social Change Database, Legal Archive Database and Legal Image Database.
 
 
 
 
Taiwan Electronic Periodical/Conference Proceedings Services CEPS
中文電子期刊資料庫曁平台服務. Free full-text journal database covering over 900 journals and conference proceedings from Taiwan in various disciplines.
 
 
 
 
Taiwan Government National Central Library Gazettes Online (政府公報資訊網)
Consists of over 80 central and provincial gazettes published since 1912.
 
 
 
 
Taiwan Legal Information Institute (TaiwanLII) 台灣法律資訊中心
The search platform links to the official Taiwan Law Database (中華民國法律目錄及彙編) but has Keyword-In-Context Search (KWIC關鍵字索引系統) functionality and a standard English translation dictionary (英譯法律關鍵詞典). The library LawPack tab includes topical secondary sources.
 
 
 
 
 
Taiwan nichinichi shinpō 臺灣日日新報
 

Taiwan nichinichi shinpo, daily newspaper, was published from 1898 to 1944 in Japanese along with Chinese text from 1905 to 1911. It is an official newspaper published by the Government-General of Taiwan yet one of the dispensable resources to know the condition of Taiwan for these years. The database provides both Chinese and Japanese interface.

Resources on US/UK-China Foreign Relations

Below is a list of resources useful for conducting research in U.S. and U.K. - China Foreign Relations.

U.S. – China Relations

Primary Sources:

Part of Digital National Security Archive, this collection pulls together more than 2,000 documents concerning the relationship between the United States and China, with an emphasis on the 1969-1998 time period. The documents include memos, cables, and studies concerning U.S. diplomatic relations with China, records concerning the U.S.-PRC security relationship, documents related to the economic and scientific association with the PRC, and intelligence estimates and studies concerning the PRC’s foreign policy objectives, military capabilities, and internal situation.

Reproduction from the originals from the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library, this collection documents the formation of the National Council for United States-China Trade, its role in the development of U.S.-China trade, and the Council’s library holdings relating to China’s trade and economy.

Reproduction of the originals from the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library, this digital collection reviews U.S.-China relations in the post-Cold War Era, and analyzes the significance of the 1989 Tiananmen Square demonstrations, China’s human rights issues, and resumption of World Bank loans to China in July 1990.

This compilation of declassified documents concerning U.S. intelligence activities directed at both the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of China includes more than 2,300 documents.

The Foreign Relations of the United States series is the official documentary historical record of major U.S. foreign policy decisions that have been declassified and edited for publication. 

U.K. – China Foreign Relations

The six parts of this collection make available all British Foreign Office files on China, Hong Kong and Taiwan between 1919 and 1980:

1919-1929: Kuomintang, CCP and the Third International

1930-1937: The Long March, civil war in China and the Manchurian Crisis

1938-1948: Open Door, Japanese war and the seeds of communist victory

1949-1956: The Communist revolution

1957-1966: The Great Leap Forward

1967-1980: The Cultural Revolution

The complete FO 371 and FCO 21 files from the National Archives, Kew include eye-witness accounts, weekly and monthly summaries, annual reviews, reports, newspaper articles, conference reports, economic assessments and synopses on key events, leading personalities and all major new developments relating to China during the period.

The collection “China : trade, politics & culture, 1793-1980 : sources from the School of Oriental and African Studies and the British Library, London” contains a wide range of materials documenting western interaction with China from the first embassy by Lord MaCartney to trade negotiations in the 1970s. 

Secondary Sources

Columbia International Affairs Online (CIAO) publishes a wide range of scholarship from 1991 on including working papers from university research institutes, occasional papers series from NGOs, foundation-funded research projects, and proceedings from conferences.

·         PAIS International

The PAIS International database contains references to more than 460,000 journal articles, books, government documents, statistical directories, grey literature, research reports, conference reports, publications of international agencies, microfiche, Internet material, and more.

Open-Access Resources:

Newspaper Sources 

Subject Headings for searching in MorrisOrbis, QuickSearch and WorldCat:

China—Foreign Relations—United States

United States—Foreign Relations–China