China’s rise posts various challenges to conventional thinking about law, society and economic development, especially after the 2008 global financial crisis. How can China offset its institutional weaknesses at home while achieving impressive economic results worldwide without moving closer to the existing models of western countries? Is China’s transition really unique in terms of East Asian experiences such as those of Taiwan, Japan, and Korea? Also, China’s experience illustrates a latecomer paradox: Does the latecomer have an advantage as a result of quick replication of institutional innovation and technology? Conversely, do latecomer states lack the incentive to carry out fundamental reforms as a result of easy success?

Such questions have posted doubt on the conventional wisdom but have not been systematically addressed. Furthermore, scholars of law and development stress that institutions matter, but how they matter and which institutions matter most remain hotly contested questions. A thorough examination of China’s experience with an East Asian comparative perspective will shed light on the origin and evolution of Asian institutions and offer inspiration that would develop and enrich legal theories that have not been examined with great care in the context of non-western countries.