Enforcing Commercial Judgments in the Pearl River Delta of China

Abstract

Based on intensive interviews and in-depth investigations in the Pearl River Delta, this Article explores the extent to which Chinese courts of the region are effective and efficient in enforcing commercial judgments, a matter critically important to the functioning of the judicial system and the understanding of the relationship between law and economic development. Many positive results were found: the enforcement outcomes are reasonable, the enforcement process is relatively efficient, the problem of local protectionism is not serious, and the plaintiffs’ impressions of the courts are also quite positive. The reasons for such encouraging results include the diversification of the local economy, institution-building within the courts, increasing staff professionalism, and specific measures to strengthen enforcement. These changes provide empirical evidence to evaluate the relationship between the enforcement of commercial judgments and China’s rapid economic growth.