Contract Law in Hong Kong: A Comparative Analysis

Preface
Acknowledgements
About the Authors

Chapter 1.  Main Features of Contract Law in Hong Kong
1.  Characteristics of Contract Law in Hong Kong para
2.  The Objective Principle and ‘Freedom of Contract’
3.  Contract and Tort Law
4.  Contract and Restitution or Unjust Enrichment
5.  Common Law and Equity
6.  Good Faith
7.  The Codification Question
8.  European Union Law
9.  Harmonisation of Contract Law in the Greater China Region

Chapter 2.  Abortive Negotiations and the Pre-formation Stage
1.  Introduction
2.  Abortive Negotiations
3.  Negotiation Agreements

Chapter 3.  Establishing Consensus: Offer and Acceptance and Certainty
1.  Introduction
2.  ‘Invitations to Treat’ and ‘Offers’ Distinguished
3.  Invitations to Treat
4.  The Process of Offer and Acceptance in General
5.  Acceptances
6.  Counter-offers, Rejection of Offers, Lapse of Time for Valid Acceptance
7.  Battle of the Forms
8.  Auctions, Tenders, and Sealed Bid Competitions
9.  The Objective Principle
10. Problems of Uncertainty
11. Establishing the Price in Contracts for the Sale of Goods

Chapter 4.  Consideration and Intent to Create Legal Relations
1.  Introduction
2.  Formalities
3.  The Consideration Doctrine: Formation of Contracts
4.  Consideration and Promises to Pay More than the Original Rate
5.  Consideration and Promises to Reduce or Extinguish a Debt
6.  Intent to Create Legal Relations

Chapter 5.  Third Party Rights and Assignment
1.  Introduction to Third Party Rights
2.  The Common Law Doctrine of Privity
3.  The Hong Kong Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Ordinance (Cap 623)
4.  Assignment of Rights
5.  Modes of Assignment
6.  Extent of the Assigned Right
7.  Non-assignable Rights
8.  Assignment Distinguished from Other Doctrines

Chapter 6.  Misrepresentation and Mistake
1.  Introduction to Misrepresentation and Mistake
2.  Nature of a Misrepresentation
3.  Tort Claims for Culpable Misrepresentations
4.  Damages under Section 3(1) of the Misrepresentation Ordinance (Cap 284)
5.  Rescission ab initio
6.  Statements Becoming Contractual Terms or Collateral Warranties
7.  Duties to Disclose
8.  Common Law and Statutory Control of Exclusion Clauses Concerning Misrepresentation
9.  Summary of Mistake
10. Shared Mistake at Common Law
11. No Rescission for Shared Mistake in Equity
12. Unilateral Error Concerning the Subject Matter
13. Mistake Concerning a Party’s Identity
14. Leading Cases Concerning Mistake as to Identity

Chapter 7.  Duress, Undue Influence, and Unconscionability
1.  Introduction
2.  Duress
3.  Undue Influence
4.  Unconscionability or Exploitation (Non-statutory)

Chapter 8.  Express and Implied Terms and Exclusion Clauses
1.  Express Terms, Including Special Terms
2.  Implied Terms in General
3.  Terms Implied in Law
4.  Terms Implied in Fact
5.  Implied Terms: Custom or Trade Usage
6.  Exclusion Clauses
7.  Incorporation of Exclusion Clauses
8.  Control of Exclusion Clauses at Common Law
9.  Control of Exemption Clauses Ordinance (1997)
10. Unconscionable Contracts Ordinance (1994)

Chapter 9.  Interpretation of Written Contracts and Rectification
1.  Interpretation of Written Contracts
2.  Rectification

Chapter 10. Frustration
1.  Introduction
2.  Legal and Physical Impossibility
3.  Difficulty and ‘Impracticability’: No Frustration
4.  Frustrating Delay and Frustration of the Venture
5.  Self-Inducement and Choice
6.  Aftermath of Frustration
7.  Termination of Contracts of Indefinite Duration

Chapter 11. Breach and Performance
1.  Introduction
2.  Strict or Non-strict Obligations and Deliberate Breach
3.  Entitlement to Terminate for Breach
4.  Renunciation and Repudiation Distinguished
5.  Termination for Breach of Condition
6.  Breach of an Intermediate or Innominate Term
7.  Anticipatory Breach
8.  Nature of Termination for Breach
9.  The Entire Obligation Rule

Chapter 12. Remedies for Breach of Contract
1.  Introduction
2.  Debt
3.  Damages for Breach of Contract
4.  Specific Performance and Injunctions
5.  Restitutionary Claims
6.  Declarations
7.  Liquidated Damages
8.  Deposits

Chapter 13. Illegality and Public Policy
1.  Introduction
2.  Agreements to Commit a Legal Wrong
3.  Incidental Illegality during Performance: A Flexible Approach
4.  Agreements Prohibited by Statute
5.  Gambling Contracts
6.  Public Policy
7.  Is the Claimant Implicated in the Unlawful Performance?
8.  Consequences of Illegality

Bibliography
Index

Neil Andrews is professor of civil justice and private law at the University of Cambridge, and fellow of Clare College, Cambridge. He was called to the English Bar in 1981 and became Bencher of Middle Temple in 2007. He is also a member of the American Law Institute and a praesidium member of the International Association of Procedural Law. He has lectured and examined in Hong Kong.

Fan Yang was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2005. She is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb) and a fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), and is currently an assistant professor in the School of Law, City University of Hong Kong.