Introduction


Columbia University in the City of New York I New York, N. Y 10027

PARKER SCHOOL OF FOREIGN 435 We3t 116th Street

AND COMPARATIVE LAW

Office of the Director

March 1987

The Parker School of Foreign and Comparative Law, an
independent institution affiliated with the Columbia University
School of Law, has long been in the forefront in promoting study and
research of foreign law in the United States. Its Trustees and then
Director, Willis L.M. Reese, long before others, foresaw the need for
promoting the study of Chinese law and developing American
scholarship in this area. The Parker School has steadfastly provided
financial and other support for the study of Chinese law, especially at
the Columbia Law School. It may, with due immodesty, be said both
that the Center for Chinese Legal Studies at Columbia, which is so
ably directed by R. Randle Edwards, is the leading institution of its
kind and that the Parker School has been instrumental in assisting in
its creation and development.

It is entirely fitting that the Center's pre-eminent position will be
bolstered further by the publication of this Journal. The wealth of
talent at Columbia, where over fifty of the approximately 900 students
have substantial proficiency in Chinese and sizeable numbers of
Chinese from the mainland graduate each year from law programs
specially devised for them, will ensure that this Journal will perform
effectively the tasks it has set for itself. It is the confidence in its
success that has moved the Trustees of the Parker School to make a
substantial contribution towards making this Journal a reality.

We are delighted to have been able to help put this most
worthwhile enterprise on its course.

Hans Smit
Fuld Professor of Law
Director, Parker School of

Foreign and Comparative Law