CIRCULAR JOINTLY ISSUED BY THE GENERAL OFFICE OF THE STATE COUNCILAND THE GENERAL OFFICE OF THE CENTRAL MILITARY COMMISSION FOR TRANSMITTINGTHE REQUEST FOR INSTRUCTIONS SUBMITTED BY THE STATE PHYSICAL CULTURE ANDSPORTS COMMISSION AND OTHE

CIRCULAR JOINTLY ISSUED BY THE GENERAL OFFICE OF THE STATE COUNCILAND THE GENERAL OFFICE OF THE CENTRAL MILITARY COMMISSION FOR TRANSMITTINGTHE REQUEST FOR INSTRUCTIONS SUBMITTED BY THE STATE PHYSICAL CULTURE ANDSPORTS COMMISSION AND OTHE R DEPARTMENTS CONCERNING THE STRENGTHENING OFADMINISTRATI This English document is coming from the "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 CIRCULAR JOINTLY ISSUED BY THE GENERAL OFFICE OF THE STATE COUNCIL AND THE GENERAL OFFICE OF THE CENTRAL MILITARY COMMISSION FOR TRANSMITTING THE REQUEST FOR INSTRUCTIONS SUBMITTED BY THE STATE PHYSICAL CULTURE AND SPORTS COMMISSION AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS CONCERNING THE STRENGTHENING OF ADMINISTRATION OF MOUNTAINS OPEN TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD (September 19, 1987) The Request for Instructions Concerning the Strengthening of Administration of Mountains Open to the Outside World, which is submitted by the State Physical Culture and Sports Commission, the Headquarters of the General Staff of PLA, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Tourism Administration and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has been approved by the State Council and the Central Military Commission and is hereby transmitted to you for implementation.

REQUEST FOR INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING THE STRENGTHENING OF ADMINISTRATION OF MOUNTAINS OPEN TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD Since 1979, China has, upon approval by the State Council, gradually opened some mountains to the outside world and has received nearly 400 groups and teams of foreigners who have been to China for mountaineering or tourist activities. The opening of some mountains has put an end to the state of estrangement in China's mountaineering, strengthened the contact between the Chinese and the international mountaineering circles, intensified the exchange of mountaineering techniques, and promoted the development of China's mountaineering undertakings and tourist industry.

However, in the work of various localities to receive foreign mountaineering groups and teams coming to China, there exists in varying degrees the tendency of treating the administration of open mountains as a purely commercial operation, which has resulted in confusions in such aspects as management system, liaison with foreign countries, opening of more mountains and service standards. All these problems call for immediate solution.

The opening and administration of China's mountains, especially of those high mountains situated in the border regions, involve the various aspects of political, military and diplomatic affairs and require strengthened, centralized leadership. The various localities, therefore, in addition to continuing to implement the relevant provisions of the Request for Instructions Concerning the Opening of Mountains for International Mountaineering Activities, which has submitted by the State Physical Culture and Sports Commission and the National Tourism Administration on September 20, 1979 and which has been approved by the State Council, shall comply with the following provisions: 1. The opening of any more mountain to the outside world shall be considered along with the opening of the city or county where the mountain is located, and shall, with the consent of the people's government of the province or autonomous region and the Military Region concerned, be reported to the State Physical Culture and Sports Commission which shall announce it to the outside world after examination and approval after consultation with the Headquarters of the General Staff of PLA, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Tourism Administration. In the absence of the approval by the aforesaid competent central authorities, no locality may make unauthorized announcement of the opening of any more mountain.

2. From now on, with respect to foreign groups and teams coming to China for such activities as mountaineering, exploration or rock climbing which fall within the scope of physical culture and sports, the acceptance of their applications, the arrangement of their plans and itineraries, the signing of agreements, the issuing of letters or telegrams of invitation and the issuing of letters or telegrams on matters of visas shall all be submitted for unified handling to the State Physical Culture and Sports Commission (under the name of the Chinese Mountaineering Association). For tourist activities in the mountains, however, the National Tourism Administration shall be responsible for unified arrangements.

3. The standards of tourist service charges for cities where the open mountains are located shall be determined by the State Physical Culture and Sports Commission in accordance with the pertinent State policies and in consultation with the National Tourism Administration, the State Administration of Commodity Prices and other departments concerned and shall be implemented in a unified way. Without permission, no localities may undertake unauthorized pricing or make unauthorized price readjustments. The revenue derived from the open mountains shall mainly be used for the development of China's mountaineering undertakings.

Guarantees shall be made in respect of the management system to avoid turning the opening of mountains into utterly commercialized operations.

4. If foreign groups and teams coming to China for mountaineering, exploration, rock climbing or competition (including those coming to China for tourist purposes in the mountains) are also entrusted with tasks of scientific survey, the host units shall, while applying for the mountaineering permit, simultaneously submit the subject(s) of the survey and the limits of areas in which to conduct the survey to the State Physical Culture and Sports Commission for examination and approval in consultation with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Headquarters of the General Staff of PLA. The Chinese Academy of Sciences may, depending on the circumstances, directly send their own personnel or entrust a proper department to send personnel to the mountain areas to exercise supervision over the foreign groups or teams. It is imperative to implement strictly the various provisions of the Request for Instructions Concerning the Opening of Mountains for International Mountaineering Activities submitted by the State Physical Culture and Sports Commission and the National Tourism Association on September 20, 1979 and of its annexes (1).

The State Physical Culture and Sports Commission shall, in accordance with the afore-stated principles, conduct a general examination of administration of the mountains already open to the outside world in conjunction with the Headquarters of the General Staff of PLA, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Tourism Administration and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Cases involving mountains that have been opened to the outside world without permission shall be dealt with in accordance with their respective circumstances.

If nothing is inappropriate, it is requested that the above be approved and transmitted to the various localities for implementation.

Note: The relevant annexes of the Request for Instructions Concerning the Opening of Mountains for International Mountaineering Activities submitted to the State Physical Culture and Sports Commission and the National Tourism Administration on September 20, 1979, i.e. the Provisions Concerning Foreign Mountaineering Groups Coming to China for Mountaineering (for Trial Implementation) and the Measures for Charging Fees from Foreign Mountaineering Groups Coming to China for Mountaineering (for Trial Implementation), have become invalid. In effect now are the Provisions Concerning Foreign Mountaineering Groups or Mountaineering and Tourist Groups Coming to China for Mountaineering promulgated by the State Physical Culture and Sports Commission on January 14, 1981 and the Measures for Charging Fees from Foreign Mountaineering Groups or Mountaineering and Tourist Groups Coming to China for Mountaineering, promulgated by the Chinese Mountaineering Association on January 1, 1987 - The Editor.

eering permit, simultaneously submit the subject(s) of the survey and the limits of areas in which to conduct the survey to the State Physical Culture and Sports Commission for examination and approval in consultation with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Headquarters of the General Staff of PLA. The Chinese Academy of Sciences may, depending on the circumstances, directly send their own personnel or entrust a proper department to send personnel to the mountain areas to exercise supervision over the foreign groups or teams. It is imperative to implement strictly the various provisions of the Request for Instructions Concerning the Opening of Mountains for International Mountaineering Activities submitted by the State Physical Culture and Sports Commission and the National Tourism Association on September 20, 1979 and of its annexes (1).

The State Physical Culture and Sports Commission shall, in accordance with the afore-stated principles, conduct a general examination of administration of the mountains already open to the outside world in conjunction with the Headquarters of the General Staff of PLA, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Tourism Administration and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Cases involving mountains that have been opened to the outside world without permission shall be dealt with in accordance with their respective circumstances.

If nothing is inappropriate, it is requested that the above be approved and transmitted to the various localities for implementation.

Note: The relevant annexes of the Request for Instructions Concerning the Opening of Mountains for International Mountaineering Activities submitted to the State Physical Culture and Sports Commission and the National Tourism Administration on September 20, 1979, i.e. the Provisions Concerning Foreign Mountaineering Groups Coming to China for Mountaineering (for Trial Implementation) and the Measures for Charging Fees from Foreign Mountaineering Groups Coming to China for Mountaineering (for Trial Implementation), have become invalid. In effect now are the Provisions Concerning Foreign Mountaineering Groups or Mountaineering and Tourist Groups Coming to China for Mountaineering promulgated by the State Physical Culture and Sports Commission on January 14, 1981 and the Measures for Charging Fees from Foreign Mountaineering Groups or Mountaineering and Tourist Groups Coming to China for Mountaineering, promulgated by the Chinese Mountaineering Association on January 1, 1987 - The Editor.