Civil Code

FEATURED ANALYSIS

2020 NPC Session: A Guide to China’s Civil Code

This Guide provides a brief overview of the Code’s drafting history, explains its significance, and offers a quick introduction to each of its subdivisions.

Civil Code of the People’s Republic of China
中华人民共和国民法典

[Current Text: Chinese, English]

(adopted May 28, 2020, effective Jan. 1, 2021)

• Status: Passed
• Legislative Body (Vote): NPC (2879–5–2)
• Principal Drafter: NPCSC Legislative Affairs Commission
• Initial Submitter: Council of Chairpersons
• Laws Abolished
  • Marriage Law [婚姻法]
  • Inheritance Law [继承法]
  • General Principles of the Civil Law [民法通则]
  • Adoption Law [收养法]
  • Security Law [担保法]
  • Contracts Law [合同法]
  • Rights in Rem Law [物权法]
  • Tort Liability Law [侵权责任法]
  • General Provisions of the Civil Law [民法总则]
• Legislative Plans
  • Five-year: 12^th NPCSC Category I, 13^th NPCSC Category I
  • Special: Public Health Category I
  • Annual: 2018, 2019 (presumed), 2020
• Legislative History & Text
  • NPC deliberation – final round (entire Code): May 2020 (Current Text ⇧)
  • NPCSC deliberation – 1^st round (entire Code): December 2019 (Chinese only)
  • NPCSC deliberation – 3^rd round (Part on Marriage and Family): October 2019 (Chinese only)
  • NPCSC deliberation – 3^rd round (Part on Personality Rights): August 2019 (Chinese only)
  • NPCSC deliberation – 3^rd round (Part on Tort Liability): August 2019 (Chinese only)
  • NPCSC deliberation – 2^nd round (Part on Inheritance): June 2019 (Chinese only)
  • NPCSC deliberation – 2^nd round (Part on Marriage and Family): June 2019 (Chinese only)
  • NPCSC deliberation – 2^nd round (Part on Personality Rights): April 2019 (Chinese, $ English)
  • NPCSC deliberation – 2^nd round (Part on Rights in Rem): April 2019 (Chinese only)
  • NPCSC deliberation – 2^nd round (Part on Contracts): December 2018 (Chinese only)
  • NPCSC deliberation – 2^nd round (Part on Tort Liability): December 2018 (Chinese only)
  • NPCSC deliberation – 1^st round (all Separate Parts): August 2018 (Chinese only)
• Legislative Records
  • NPCSC Stage
    • Explanation (all Separate Parts) (Aug. 27, 2018)
    • Report on Status of Revision (Part on Contracts) (Dec. 23, 2018)
    • Report on Status of Revision (Part on Tort Liability) (Dec. 23, 2018)
    • Report on Status of Revision (Part on Rights in Rem) (Apr. 20, 2019)
    • Report on Status of Revision (Part on Personality Rights) (Apr. 20, 2019)
    • Report on Status of Revision (Part on Marriage and Family) (June 25, 2019)
    • Report on Status of Revision (Part on Inheritance) (June 25, 2019)
    • Report on Status of Revision (Part on Personality Rights) (Aug. 22, 2019)
    • Report on Status of Revision (Part on Tort Liability) (Aug. 22, 2019)
    • Report on Status of Revision (Part on Marriage and Family) (Oct. 21, 2019)
    • Report on Status of Revision & Compilation (Dec. 23, 2019)
  • NPC Stage [Gazette 2020(sp.): 1, 178–206]
    • Explanation (May 22, 2020)
    • Report on Results of Deliberation (May 26, 2020)
    • Report on Suggestions for Revision (May 27, 2020)
    • Presidential Order (May 28, 2020)

NPC Observer Coverage

• 2020 NPC Session: A Guide to China’s Civil Code (May 21, 2020)
• Translation: NPCSC’s New Public Health Legislative Plan in Response to COVID-19 (Apr. 29, 2020)
• NPCSC Session Watch: Encryption, Civil Code, Biosecurity, Child Protection & State Supervision Commission Rulemaking (Oct. 15, 2019)
• NPCSC Session Watch: Public Health Laws, Civil Code & Supervision Law Companion Statute (Aug. 15, 2019)
• NPCSC Session Watch: Marriage, Vaccine, Community Corrections, Encryption & Solid Waste (June 17, 2019)
• NPCSC Session Watch: Foreign Investment, Patent, Resource Tax, Local Government Debt & More (Dec. 16, 2018)
• NPCSC Session Watch: Separate Parts of Civil Code, Tax Bills, Criminal Procedure, and More (Aug. 17, 2018)
• NPC Standing Committee Releases 2018 Legislative Plan (Apr. 27, 2018)
• 2017 NPC Session: Schoolchildren, Heroes, Good Samaritans & Draft Civil Law (Mar. 13, 2017)