全國人民代表大會

中華人民共和國主席令（六屆第22號）

《中華人民共和國涉外經濟合同法》已由中華人民共和國第六屆全國人民代表大會常務委員會第十次會議于1985年3月21日通過，現予公布，自1985年7月1日起施行。

中華人民共和國主席 李先念
1985年3月21日




中華人民共和國涉外經濟合同法

（1985年3月21日第六屆全國人民代表大會常務委員會第十次會議通過 1985年3月21日中華人民共和國主席令第二十二號公布 自1985年7月1日起施行）

第一章 總 則
第一條 為了保障涉外經濟合同當事人的合法權益，促進我國對外經濟關系的發展，特制定本法。
第二條 本法的適用范圍是中華人民共和國的企業或者其他經濟組織同外國的企業和其他經濟組織或者個人之間訂立的經濟合同（以下簡稱合同）。但是，國際運輸合同除外。
第三條 訂立合同，應當依據平等互利、協商一致的原則。
第四條 訂立合同，必須遵守中華人民共和國法律，并不得損害中華人民共和國的社會公共利益。
第五條 合同當事人可以選擇處理合同爭議所適用的法律。當事人沒有選擇的，適用與合同有最密切聯系的國家的法律。
在中華人民共和國境內履行的中外合資經營企業合同、中外合作經營企業合同、中外合作勘探開發自然資源合同，適用中華人民共和國法律。
中華人民共和國法律未作規定的，可以適用國際慣例。
第六條 中華人民共和國締結或者參加的與合同有關的國際條約同中華人民共和國法律有不同規定的，適用該國際條約的規定。但是，中華人民共和國聲明保留的條款除外。
第二章 合同的訂立
第七條 當事人就合同條款以書面形式達成協議并簽字，即為合同成立。通過信件、電報、電傳達成協議，一方當事人要求簽訂確認書的，簽訂確認書時，方為合同成立。
中華人民共和國法律、行政法規規定應當由國家批準的合同，獲得批準時，方為合同成立。
第八條 合同訂明的附件是合同的組成部分。
第九條 違反中華人民共和國法律或者社會公共利益的合同無效。
合同中的條款違反中華人民共和國法律或者社會公共利益的，經當事人協商同意予以取消或者改正后，不影響合同的效力。
第十條 采取欺詐或者脅迫手段訂立的合同無效。
第十一條 當事人一方對合同無效負有責任的，應當對另一方因合同無效而遭受的損失負賠償責任。
第十二條 合同一般應當具備以下條款：
一、合同當事人的名稱或者姓名、國籍、主營業所或者住所；
二、合同簽訂的日期、地點；
三、合同的類型和合同標的的種類、范圍；
四、合同標的的技術條件、質量、標準、規格、數量；
五、履行的期限、地點和方式；
六、價格條件、支付金額、支付方式和各種附帶的費用；
七、合同能否轉讓或者合同轉讓的條件；
八、違反合同的賠償和其他責任；
九、合同發生爭議時的解決方法；
十、合同使用的文字及其效力。
第十三條 合同應當視需要約定當事人對履行標的承擔風險的界限；必要時應當約定對標的的保險范圍。
第十四條 對于需要較長期間連續履行的合同，當事人應當約定合同的有效期限，并可以約定延長合同期限和提前終止合同的條件。
第十五條 當事人可以在合同中約定擔保。擔保人在約定的擔保范圍內承擔責任。
第三章 合同的履行和違反合同的責任
第十六條 合同依法成立，即具有法律約束力。當事人應當履行合同約定的義務，任何一方不得擅自變更或者解除合同。
第十七條 當事人一方有另一方不能履行合同的確切證據時，可以暫時中止履行合同，但是應當立即通知另一方；當另一方對履行合同提供了充分的保證時，應當履行合同。當事人一方沒有另一方不能履行合同的確切證據，中止履行合同的，應當負違反合同的責任。
第十八條 當事人一方不履行合同或者履行合同義務不符合約定條件，即違反合同的，另一方有權要求賠償損失或者采取其他合理的補救措施。采取其他補救措施后，尚不能完全彌補另一方受到的損失的，另一方仍然有權要求賠償損失。
第十九條 當事人一方違反合同的賠償責任，應當相當于另一方因此所受到的損失，但是不得超過違反合同一方訂立合同時應當預見到的因違反合同可能造成的損失。
第二十條 當事人可以在合同中約定，一方違反合同時，向另一方支付一定數額的違約金；也可以約定對于違反合同而產生的損失賠償額的計算方法。
合同中約定的違約金，視為違反合同的損失賠償。但是，約定的違約金過分高于或者低于違反合同所造成的損失的，當事人可以請求仲裁機構或者法院予以適當減少或者增加。
第二十一條 當事人雙方都違反合同的，應當各自承擔相應的責任。
第二十二條 當事人一方因另一方違反合同而受到損失的，應當及時采取適當措施防止損失的擴大；沒有及時采取適當措施致使損失擴大的，無權就擴大的損失要求賠償。
第二十三條 當事人一方未按期支付合同規定的應付金額或者與合同有關的其他應付金額的，另一方有權收取遲延支付金額的利息。計算利息的方法，可以在合同中約定。
第二十四條 當事人因不可抗力事件不能履行合同的全部或者部分義務的，免除其全部或者部分責任。
當事人一方因不可抗力事件不能按合同約定的期限履行的，在事件的后果影響持續的期間內，免除其遲延履行的責任。
不可抗力事件是指當事人在訂立合同時不能預見、對其發生和后果不能避免并不能克服的事件。
不可抗力事件的范圍，可以在合同中約定。
第二十五條 當事人一方因不可抗力事件不能履行合同的全部或者部分義務的，應當及時通知另一方，以減輕可能給另一方造成的損失，并應在合理期間內提供有關機構出具的證明。
第四章 合同的轉讓
第二十六條 當事人一方將合同權利和義務的全部或者部分轉讓給第三者的，應當取得另一方的同意。
第二十七條 中華人民共和國法律、行政法規規定應當由國家批準成立的合同，其權利和義務的轉讓，應當經原批準機關批準。但是，已批準的合同中另有約定的除外。
第五章 合同的變更、解除和終止
第二十八條 經當事人協商同意后，合同可以變更。
第二十九條 有下列情形之一的，當事人一方有權通知另一方解除合同：
一、另一方違反合同，以致嚴重影響訂立合同所期望的經濟利益；
二、另一方在合同約定的期限內沒有履行合同，在被允許推遲履行的合理期限內仍未履行；
三、發生不可抗力事件，致使合同的全部義務不能履行；
四、合同約定的解除合同的條件已經出現。
第三十條 對于包含幾個相互獨立部分的合同，可以依據前條的規定，解除其中的一部分而保留其余部分的效力。
第三十一條 有下列情形之一的，合同即告終止：
一、合同已按約定條件得到履行；
二、仲裁機構裁決或者法院判決終止合同；
三、雙方協商同意終止合同。
第三十二條 變更或者解除合同的通知或者協議，應當采用書面形式。
第三十三條 中華人民共和國法律、行政法規規定應當由國家批準成立的合同，其重大變更應當經原批準機關批準，其解除應當報原批準機關備案。
第三十四條 合同的變更、解除或者終止，不影響當事人要求賠償損失的權利。
第三十五條 合同約定的解決爭議的條款，不因合同的解除或者終止而失去效力。
第三十六條 合同約定的結算和清理條款，不因合同的解除或者終止而失去效力。
第六章 爭議的解決
第三十七條 發生合同爭議時，當事人應當盡可能通過協商或者通過第三者調解解決。
當事人不愿協商、調解的，或者協商、調解不成的，可以依據合同中的仲裁條款或者事后達成的書面仲裁協議，提交中國仲裁機構或者其他仲裁機構仲裁。
第三十八條 當事人沒有在合同中訂立仲裁條款，事后又沒有達成書面仲裁協議的，可以向人民法院起訴。
第七章 附 則
第三十九條 貨物買賣合同爭議提起訴訟或者仲裁的期限為四年，自當事人知道或者應當知道其權利受到侵犯之日起計算。其他合同爭議提起訴訟或者仲裁的期限由法律另行規定。
第四十條 在中華人民共和國境內履行、經國家批準成立的中外合資經營企業合同、中外合作經營企業合同、中外合作勘探開發自然資源合同，在法律有新的規定時，可以仍然按照合同的規定執行。
第四十一條 本法施行之日前成立的合同，經當事人協商同意，可以適用本法。
第四十二條 國務院依據本法制定實施細則。
第四十三條 本法自１９８５年７月１日起施行。


LAW OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON ECONOMIC CONTRACTSINVOLVING FOREIGN INTEREST

Important Notice: (注意事項)

英文本源自中華人民共和國務院法制局編譯, 中國法制出版社出版的《中華人民
共和國涉外法規匯編》(1991年7月版).
當發生歧意時, 應以法律法規頒布單位發布的中文原文為準.
This English document is coming from "LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF THE
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA GOVERNING FOREIGN-RELATED MATTERS" (1991.7)
which is compiled by the Brueau of Legislative Affairs of the State
Council of the People's Republic of China, and is published by the China
Legal System Publishing House.
In case of discrepancy, the original version in Chinese shall prevail.

Whole Document (法規全文)

LAW OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON ECONOMIC CONTRACTS
INVOLVING FOREIGN INTEREST
(Adopted at the Tenth Session of the Standing Committee of the
Sixth National People's Congress, promulgated by Order No. 22 of the
President of the People's Republic of China on March 21, 1985, and
effective as of July 1, 1985)

Contents

Chapter I General Provisions
Chapter II The Conclusion of Contracts
Chapter III The Performance of Contracts and Liability for Breach of
Contract
Chapter IV The Assignment of Contracts
Chapter V The Modification, Rescission and Termination of Contracts
Chapter VI The Settlement of Disputes
Chapter VII Supplementary Provisions

Chapter I General Provisions

Article 1
This Law is formulated with a view to protecting the lawful rights and
interests of the parties to Chinese-foreign economic contracts and
promoting the development of China's foreign economic relations.
Article 2
This Law shall apply to economic contracts concluded between enterprises
or other economic organizations of the People's Republic of China and
foreign enterprises, other economic organizations or individuals.
(hereinafter referred to as "contracts"). However, this provision shall
not apply to international transport contracts.
Article 3
Contracts shall be concluded according to the principle of equality and
mutual benefit and the principle of achieving agreement through
consultation.
Article 4
In concluding a contract, the parties must abide by the law of the
People's Republic of China and shall not harm the public interest of the
People's Republic of China.
Article 5
The parties to a contract may choose the proper law applicable to the
settlement of contract disputes. In the absence of such a choice by the
parties, the law of the country which has the closest connection with the
contract shall apply. The law of the People's Republic of China shall
apply to contracts that are to be performed within the territory of the
People's Republic of China, namely contracts for Chinese-foreign equity
joint ventures, Chinese-foreign contractual joint ventures and Chinese-
foreign cooperative exploration and development of natural resources. For
matters that are not covered in the law of the People's Republic of China,
international practice shall be followed.
Article 6
Where an international treaty which is relevant to a contract, and to
which the People's Republic of China is a contracting party or a
signatory, has provided differently from the law of the People's Republic
of China, the provisions of the international treaty shall prevail, with
the exception of those clauses on which the People's Republic of China has
declared reservation.

Chapter II The Conclusion of Contracts

Article 7
A contract shall be formed as soon as the parties to it have reached a
written agreement on the terms and have signed the contract. If an
agreement is reached by means of letters, telegrams or telex and one party
requests a signed letter of confirmation, the contract shall be formed
only after the letter of confirmation is signed. Contracts which are
subject to the approval of the state, as provided for by the laws or
administrative regulations of the People's Republic of China, shall be
formed only after such approval is granted.
Article 8
Appendices specified in a contract shall be integral parts of the
contract.
Article 9
Contracts that violate the law or the public interest of the People's
Republic of China shall be void.
In case any terms in a contract violate the law or the public interest of
the People's Republic of China, the validity of the contract shall not be
affected if such terms are cancelled or modified by the parties through
consultations.
Article 10
Contracts that are concluded by means of fraud or duress shall be void.
Article 11
A party which is responsible for the invalidity of a contract shall be
liable for the losses suffered by the other party as a result of the
contracts becoming invalid.
Article 12
A contract shall, in general, contain the following terms:
(1) the corporate or personal names of the contracting parties and their
nationalities and principal places of business or domicile;
(2) the date and place of the signing of the contract;
(3) the type of contract and the kind and scope of the object of the
contract;
(4) The technical conditions, quality, standard, specifications and
quantity of the object of the contract;
(5) the time limit, place and method of performance;
(6) the price, amount and method of payment, and various incidental
charges;
(7) whether the contract is assignable and, if it is, the conditions for
its assignment;
(8) liability to pay compensation and other liabilities for breach of
contract;
(9) the ways for settling contract disputes; and
(10) the language(s) in which the contract is to be written and its
validity.

Article 13
So far as it may require, a contract shall provide for the limits of the
risks to be borne by the parties in performing the object; if necessary,
it shall provide for the coverage of insurance for the object.
Article 14
Where a contract needs to be performed continuously over a long period,
the parties shall set a period of validity for the contract and may also
stipulate conditions for its extension and its termination before its
expiry.
Article 15
In the contract the parties may agree to provide a guaranty. The guarantor
shall be held liable within the agreed scope of guaranty.

Chapter III The Performance of Contracts and Liability for Breach of Contract

Article 16
A contract shall be legally bindings as soon as it is established in
accordance with the law. The parties shall perform their obligations
stipulated in the contract. No party shall unilaterally modify or rescind
the contract.
Article 17
A party may temporarily suspend its performance of the contract if it has
conclusive evidence that the other party is unable to perform the
contract. However, it shall immediately inform the other party of such
suspension. It shall perform the contract if and when the other party
provides a sure guarantee for performance of the contract. If a party
suspends performance of the contract without conclusive evidence of the
other party's inability to perform the contract, it shall be liable for
breach of contract.
Article 18
If a party fails to perform the contract or its performance of the
contractual obligations does not conform to the agreed terms. which
constitutes a breach of contract, the other party is entitled to claim
damages or demand other reasonable remedial measures. If the losses
suffered by the other party cannot be completely made up after the
adoption of such remedial measures, the other party shall still have the
right to claim damages.
Article 19
The liability of a party to pay compensation for the breach of a contract
shall be equal to the loss suffered by the other party as a consequence of
the breach. However, such compensation may not exceed the loss which the
party responsible for the breach ought to have foreseen at the time of the
conclusion of the contract as a possible consequence of a breach of
contract.
Article 20
The parties may agree in a contract that, if one party breaches the
contract, it shall pay a certain amount of breach of contract damages to
the other party; they may also agree upon a method for calculating the
damages resulting from such a breach. The breach of contract damages as
stipulated in the contract shall be regarded as compensation for the
losses resulting from breach of contract. However, if the contractually
agreed breach of contract damages are far more or far less than is
necessary to compensate for the losses resulting from the breach, the
party concerned may request an arbitration body or a court to reduce or
increase them appropriately.

Article 21
If both parties breach the contract, each shall be commensurately liable
for the breach of contract that is its responsibility.
Article 22
A party which suffers losses resulting from a breach of contract by the
other party shall promptly take appropriate measures to prevent the losses
from becoming severer. If the losses are aggravated as a result of its
failure to adopt appropriate measures, it shall not be entitled to claim
compensation for the aggravated part of the losses.
Article 23
If a party fails to pay on time any amount stipulated as payable in the
contract or any other amount related to the contract that is payable, the
other party is entitled to interest on the amount in arrears. The method
for calculating the interest may be specified in the contract.
Article 24
If a party is prevented from performing all or part of its obligations
owing to force majeure, it shall be relieved of all or part of its
obligations.
If a party cannot perform its obligations within the contractually agreed
time limit owing to force majeure, it shall be relieved of the liability
for delayed performance during the aftereffect of the event.
Force majeure means an event that the parties could not have foreseen at
the time of conclusion of the contract, both parties being unable to
either avoid or overcome its occurrence and consequences.
The scope of force majeure may be specified in the contract.
Article 25
The party which fails to perform wholly or in part its contractual
obligations owing to force majeure shall promptly inform the other party
so as to mitigate possible losses inflicted on the other party, and shall
also provide a certificate issued by the relevant agency within a
reasonable period of time.

Chapter IV The Assignment of Contracts

Article 26
When a party assigns, wholly or in part, its contractual rights and
obligations to a third party, it must obtain the consent of the other
party.
Article 27
In the case of a contract which, according to the laws or administrative
regulations of the People's Republic of China, is to be formed with the
approval of the state, the assignment of the contractual rights and
obligations shall be subject to the approval of the authority which
approved the contract, unless otherwise stipulated in the approved
contract.

Chapter V The Modification, Rescission and Termination of Con- tracts

Article 28
A contract may be modified if both parties agree through consultation.
Article 29
A party shall have the right to notify the other party that a contract is
rescinded in any of the following situations:
(1) if the other party has breached the contract, thus adversely affecting
the economic benefits they expected to receive at the time of the
conclusion of the contract;
(2) if the other party fails to perform the contract within the time limit
agreed upon in the contract, and again fails to perform it within the
reasonable period of time allowed for delayed performance;
(3) if all the obligations under the contract cannot be performed owing to
force majeure; or
(4) if the contractually agreed conditions for the rescission of the
contract are present.
Article 30
For a contract consisting of several independent parts, some may be
rescinded according to the provisions of the preceding article while the
other parts remain valid.
Article 31
A contract shall be terminated in any one of the following situations:
(1) if the contract has already been performed in accordance with the
agreed terms;
(2) if an arbitration body or a court has decided that the contract shall
be terminated; or
(3) if the parties agree through consultation to terminate the contract.
Article 32
Notices or agreements on the modification or rescission of contracts shall
be made in writing.
Article 33
In the case of a contract which, according to the laws or administrative
regulations of the People's Republic of China, is to be established with
the approval of the state, any significant modification of the contract
shall be subject to the approval of the authority which approved the
contract, and the rescission of the contract shall be filed with the same
authority for the record.
Article 34
The modification, rescission or termination of a contract shall not affect
the rights of the parties to claim damages.
Article 35
The contractually agreed terms for the settlement of disputes shall not
become invalid because of the rescission or termination of a contract.

Article 36
The contractually agreed terms for the settlement of accounts and
liquidation of a contract shall not become invalid because of the
rescission or termination of the contract.

Chapter VI The Settlement of Disputes

Article 37
If disputes over a contract develop, the parties shall, as far as
possible, settle them through consultation, or through mediation by a
third party.
If the parties are unwilling to settle their dispute through consultation
or mediation, or if consultation or mediation proves unsuccessful, they
may, in accordance with the arbitration clause provided in the contract or
a written arbitration agreement reached by the parties afterwards, submit
the dispute to a Chinese arbitration body or any other arbitration body
for arbitration.
Article 38
If no arbitration clause is provided in the contract, and a written
arbitration agreement is not reached afterwards, the parties may bring
suit in a people's court.

Chapter VII Supplementary Provisions

Article 39
The time limit for filing suit or applying for arbitration in a dispute
over a contract for the purchase and sale of goods shall be four years,
counting from the day when the party was aware or ought to have been aware
of its rights' being infringed upon. The time limit for filing suit or
applying for arbitration in a dispute over any other contract shall be
stipulated separately by law.
Article 40
If new legal provisions are formulated while contracts for Chinese-foreign
equity joint ventures, Chinese-foreign contractual joint ventures, or
Chinese-foreign cooperative exploration and development of natural
resources, which have been concluded with the approval of the state, are
being performed within the territory of the People's Republic of China,
the performance may still be based on the terms of the contracts.
Article 41
This Law may apply to contracts concluded before it goes into effect if
this is agreed to by the parties through consultation.
Article 42
The State Council shall, in accordance with this Law, formulate rules for
its implementation.
Article 43
This Law shall go into effect on July 1, 1985.



1985年3月21日