中华人民共和国中外合作经营企业法

LAW OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON CHINESE-FOREIGN CONTRACTUAL JOINT VENTURES

第一条为了扩大对外经济合作和技术交流，促进外国的企业和其他经济组织或者个人（以下简称外国合作者）按照平等互利的原则，同中华人民共和国的企业或者其他经济组织（以下简称中国合作者）在中国境内共同举办中外合作经营企业（以下简称合作企业），特制定本法。

Article 1 This Law is formulated to expand economic cooperation and technological exchange with foreign countries and to promote the joint establishment, on the principle of equality and mutual benefit, by foreign enterprises and other economic organizations or individuals (hereinafter referred to as the foreign party) and Chinese enterprises or other economic organizations (hereinafter referred to as the Chinese party) of Chinese-foreign contractual joint ventures (hereinafter referred to as contractual joint ventures) within the territory of the People's Republic of China.

第二条中外合作者举办合作企业，应当依照本法的规定，在合作企业合同中约定投资或者合作条件、收益或者产品的分配、风险和亏损的分担、经营管理的方式和合作企业终止时财产的归属等事项。

Article 2 In establishing a contractual joint venture, the Chinese and foreign parties shall, in accordance with the provisions of this Law, prescribe in their contractual joint venture contract such matters as the investment or conditions for cooperation, the distribution of earnings or products, the sharing of risks and losses, the manners of operation and management and the ownership of the property at the time of the termination of the contractual joint venture.

合作企业符合中国法律关于法人条件的规定的，依法取得中国法人资格。

A contractual joint venture which meets the conditions for being considered a legal person under Chinese law, shall acquire the status of a Chinese legal person in accordance with law.

第三条国家依法保护合作企业和中外合作者的合法权益。

Article 3 The state shall, according to law, protect the lawful rights and interests of the contractual joint ventures and of the Chinese and foreign parties.

合作企业必须遵守中国的法律、法规，不得损害中国的社会公共利益。

A contractual joint venture must abide by Chinese laws and regulations and must not injure the public interests of China.

国家有关机关依法对合作企业实行监督。

The relevant state authorities shall exercise supervision over the contractual joint ventures according to law.

第四条国家鼓励举办产品出口的或者技术先进的生产型合作企业。

Article 4 The state shall encourage the establishment of productive contractual joint ventures that are export-oriented or technologically advanced.

第五条申请设立合作企业，应当将中外合作者签订的协议、合同、章程等文件报国务院对外经济贸易主管部门或者国务院授权的部门和地方政府（以下简称审查批准机关）审查批准。审查批准机关应当自接到申请之日起四十五天内决定批准或者不批准。

Article 5 For the purpose of applying for the establishment of a contractual joint venture, such documents as the agreement, the contract and the articles of association signed by the Chinese and foreign parties shall be submitted for examination and approval to the department in charge of foreign economic relations and trade under the State Council or to the department or local government authorized by the State Council (hereinafter referred to as the examination and approval authority). The examination and approval authority shall, within 45 days of receiving the application, decide whether or not to grant approval.

第六条设立合作企业的申请经批准后，应当自接到批准证书之日起三十天内向工商行政管理机关申请登记，领取营业执照。合作企业的营业执照签发日期，为该企业的成立日期。

Article 6 When the application for the establishment of a contractual joint venture is approved, the parties shall, within 30 days of receiving the certificate of approval, apply to the administrative authorities for industry and commerce for registration and obtain a business license. The date of issuance of the business license of a contractual joint venture shall be the date of its establishment.

合作企业应当自成立之日起三十天内向税务机关办理税务登记。

A contractual joint venture shall, within 30 days of its establishment, carry out tax registration with the tax authorities.

第七条中外合作者在合作期限内协商同意对合作企业合同作重大变更的，应当报审查批准机关批准；变更内容涉及法定工商登记项目、税务登记项目的，应当向工商行政管理机关、税务机关办理变更登记手续。

Article 7 If the Chinese and foreign parties, during the period of operation of their contractual joint venture, agree through consultation to make major modifications to the contractual joint venture contract, they shall report to the examination and approval authority for approval, if the modifications include items involving statutory industry and commerce registration or tax registration, they shall register the modifications with the administrative authorities for industry and commerce and with the tax authorities.

第八条中外合作者的投资或者提供的合作条件可以是现金、实物、土地使用权、工业产权、非专利技术和其他财产权利。

Article 8 The investment or conditions for cooperation contributed by the Chinese and foreign parties may be provided in cash or in kind, or may include the right to the use of land, industrial property rights, non-patent technology or other property rights.

第九条中外合作者应当依照法律、法规的规定和合作企业合同的约定，如期履行缴足投资、提供合作条件的义务。逾期不履行的，由工商行政管理机关限期履行；限期届满仍未履行的，由审查批准机关和工商行政管理机关依照国家有关规定处理。

Article 9 The Chinese and foreign parties shall, in accordance with the provisions of the laws and regulations and the agreements in the contractual joint venture contract, duly fulfil their obligations of contributing full investment and providing the conditions for cooperation. In case of failure to do so within the prescribed time, the administrative authorities for industry and commerce shall set another time limit for the fulfillment of such obligations; if such obligations are still not fulfilled by the new time limit, the matter shall be handled by the examination and approval authority and the administrative authorities for industry and commerce according to relevant state provisions.

中外合作者的投资或者提供的合作条件，由中国注册会计师或者有关机构验证并出具证明。

The investments or conditions for cooperation provided by the Chinese and foreign parties shall be verified by an accountant registered in China or the relevant authorities, who shall provide a certificate after verification.

第十条中外合作者的一方转让其在合作企业合同中的全部或者部分权利、义务的，必须经他方同意，并报审查批准机关批准。

Article 10 If a Chinese or foreign party wishes to make an assignment of all or part of its rights and obligations prescribed in the contractual joint venture contract, it must obtain the consent of the other party or parties and report to the examination and approval authority for approval.