Resolution of civil disputes in China

In the late 1970s, China launched both economic and legal reforms, intending to introduce market mechanisms, open its door to foreign investors, and maintain social order based on legal norms. Accordingly, in the past twenty years, voluminous literature has been published on the Chinese legal system, discussing its basic ingredients and noting discrepancies between theory and practice. The topic of dispute resolution, in particular, has received much attention. Numerous books and articles have been written about the resolution of commercial disputes,especially on disputes between Chinese and foreign parties. With respect to civil conflicts between and among Chinese citizens, literature has concentrated on the use of extralegal or in-formal means, notably the various types of mediation.