#49 China's Foreign-related Rule of Law: Significance, Development and Prospects
This new China Knowledge Network (CKN) report is the first report in the 'China's Foreign-related Rule of Law' series. Covering its 'Significance, Development and Prospects'.
China’s foreign-related rule of law is a set of laws and legal tools that allows China to protect its interests not only inside China, but also abroad. Since 2014, China has introduced many laws and regulations that affect foreign countries, companies, and individuals. These laws are increasingly being used both within China and internationally.
This approach includes cooperation between police forces, enforcement of Chinese laws outside China’s borders, and helping other countries build legal and security capacities. For other governments and organizations, this means they need to better understand China’s legal system, engage with it when beneficial; set clear limits; and strengthen their own legal systems.
The growth of the foreign-related rule of law reflects China’s view of itself as a major global power with worldwide interests to protect. It aims to oversee and support Chinese citizens, businesses, investments, and organizations operating abroad, while safeguarding China’s national security, sovereignty, and economic development.
In the future, China intends to use this legal framework to support its growing international influence. It goes beyond traditional national security laws and includes legal and economic tools such as sanctions, tariffs, investment restrictions, export controls, and other measures. China is increasingly using law as a way to protect its interests and increase its influence around the world.
As part of broader initiatives such as the Global Governance Initiative, Global Security Initiative, and the Belt and Road Initiative, China hopes to shape and reform the international system so that global rules and institutions better reflect Chinese approaches to governance and law.
The report presented at this event is part of a joint project of the Dutch China Knowledge Network (CKN), the East Asian Institute in Singapore and the University of Cologne in Germany. The event will be co-hosted by the East Asian Institute in Singapore and the Leiden Asia Centre in the Netherlands.
About the authors:
- Frank Pieke Visiting Research Professor EAI, NUS; and Senior Research Fellow Leiden Asian Centre.
- Daniel Sprick, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer Institute of East Asian Studies University of Cologne.
- Björn Ahl Professor and Chair of Chinese Legal Culture Institute of East Asian Studies University of Cologne.
China Knowledge Network
The Dutch China Knowledge Network (CKN) is a network established to involve China experts and disseminate knowledge within the government of the Netherlands and beyond.Our key task is to connect various angles of research and events to better understand China’s motives, policies and vision to develop more effective policies and better advise social partners. The secretariat of the knowledge network has been assigned to think tank Clingendael together with LeidenAsiaCentre. They will function primarily as ‘knowledge brokers’, matching the supply and demand of knowledge.
