In China, public policy is commonly defined as “social and public interest” or “public interest”, the understanding and boundaries of which are rather vague, which gives the court more a broad discretion in applying the public policy rule. The article examines the content and development of public order in the legislation of China. The author analyses the practice of application the public policy rule in China and provides statistical data about the ground for refusal of Chinese courts to enforce international commercial arbitration awards based on the information obtained from public databases containing Chinese court decisions. The author also provides examples of court decisions denying recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitration awards in mainland China and summarizes the rules for application by the Chinese people’s courts of the public policy rule, established in judicial decisions, and the tendencies in the development of China’s approach towards international commercial arbitration.