PROVISIONS OF THE STATE COUNCIL CONCERNING THE ENCOURAGEMENT OFINVESTMENTS BY OVERSEAS CHINESE AND COMPATRIOTS FROM HONG KONG AND MACAO
PROVISIONS OF THE STATE COUNCIL CONCERNING THE ENCOURAGEMENT OFINVESTMENTS BY OVERSEAS CHINESE AND COMPATRIOTS FROM HONG KONG AND MACAO
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
PROVISIONS OF THE STATE COUNCIL CONCERNING THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF
INVESTMENTS BY OVERSEAS CHINESE AND COMPATRIOTS FROM HONG KONG AND MACAO
(Promulgated by Decree No. 64 of the State Council of the People's
Republic of China on August 19, 1990, and effective as of the date of
promulgation)
Article 1
These Provisions are formulated with a view to promoting the economic
development of our country and to encouraging overseas Chinese and
compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao (hereinafter referred to as "overseas
Chinese investors and those from Hong Kong and Macao") to make investments
in China's inland areas.
Article 2
Overseas Chinese investors and those from Hong Kong and Macao can make
investments in the various provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities
directly under the Central Government, and special economic zones in
China's inland areas.
Overseas Chinese investors and those from Hong Kong and Macao are
encouraged to engage themselves in business operations of land development
in accordance with the pertinent regulations of the state.
Article 3
The investments made by the overseas Chinese investors and those from Hong
Kong and Macao may take the following forms:
(1) to establish enterprises with the capital wholly owned by the overseas
Chinese investors and those from Hong Kong and Macao;
(2) to establish equity joint ventures and contractual joint ventures;
(3) to carry out compensation trade, to process supplied materials, to
assemble supplied parts, and to carry out contractual production;
(4) to purchase shares and various bonds and debentures of existing
enterprises;
(5) to purchase real estate;
(6) to obtain land use right according to law and to engage in land
development operation;
(7) to use other forms of investment permitted under the laws and
regulations.
Article 4
Overseas Chinese investors and those from Hong Kong and Macao can make
investments in various trades in China's inland areas: in industries, in
agriculture, in service trades, and in other trades that are in conformity
with the orientation of social and economic development. Overseas Chinese
investors and compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao may select their
investment projects from the lists of projects made public by the
departments concerned under various local people's governments; they may
also put forward, of their own accord, proposals as to their investment
intent and file their applications to the departments of foreign economic
relations and trade or to the examining and approving organs designated by
various local people's governments located in areas where they intend to
make their investments.
The State encourages overseas Chinese investors and those from Hong Kong
and Macao to make investments in the establishment of export-oriented
enterprises and of technologically advanced enterprises, and gives
corresponding preferential treatment to such enterprises.
Article 5
With respect to the various types of enterprises established with
investments by overseas Chinese investors and those from Hong Kong and
Macao - enterprises with the capital wholly owned by such investors
equity, joint ventures, and contractual joint ventures (hereinafter
referred to as "enterprises with investments by overseas Chinese and
compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao"), they shall all be operated in
accordance with these Provisions; in addition, they may also enjoy the
corresponding preferential treatment as enjoyed by enterprises with
foreign investments, in the light of the relevant provisions in the state
laws, decrees and regulations on external economic relations. Cases
concerning other forms of investment made by such investors in China's
inland areas, and concerning their dividends, interest, rental, royalties
and other incomes that come from China's inland areas without establishing
business offices here, shall be handled in accordance with these
Provisions, and, if need be, with reference to foreign-related economic
laws, decrees and regulations of the State.
Article 6
Overseas Chinese investors and those from Hong Kong and Macao may make
their investments by using convertible currencies, machinery and equipment
or other physical goods industrial property rights, and proprietary
technology.
Article 7
The investment made in China's inland areas by overseas Chinese investors
and those from Hong Kong and Macao, the assets they have purchased, their
industrial property rights, the profits from their investments, and other
lawful rights and interests shall be protected by State laws, and may be
transferred or inherited according to law. Overseas Chinese investors and
those from Hong Kong and Macao shall abide by State laws and regulations
in their activities in inland areas.
Article 8
The State shall not nationalize the investment made by overseas Chinese
investors and compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao or other assets
belonging to them.
Article 9
Where the state, in accordance with the needs of social and public
interest, has to requisition the enterprises with investments by overseas
Chinese investors and those from Hong Kong and Macao, the state shall
handle the case according to the legal procedures and the investors
concerned shall be duly compensated.
Article 10
The lawful profits gained by overseas Chinese investors and those from
Hong Kong and Macao from their investments, their other lawful incomes and
the funds after liquidation may be remitted out of China's inland areas
according to law.
Article 11
Machinery and equipment imported to meet the needs of enterprises with
investments by overseas Chinese and compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao
and, included in the total amount of investment, motor vehicles for use in
production, office equipment, as well as articles and means of
communications for personal use and within reasonable quantities, imported
by overseas Chinese and compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao during the
period when they work in the aforesaid enterprises shall be exempted from
Customs duties and consolidated industrial and commercial tax, and also
from the application for import licences.
The raw and processed materials, fuels, bulk parts, spare and component
parts, primary parts, and fittings, which are imported by enterprises with
investments by overseas Chinese and compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao
for the production of export commodities, shall all be exempt from Customs
duties and consolidated industrial and commercial tax and also from the
application for import licences and placed under the supervision of the
Customs. In case that the aforesaid imported materials and parts are used
for the production of commodities to be sold on China's inland markets, it
is imperative to make up the procedures for importation and to pay taxes
and duties according to the regulations.
The export commodities produced by the enterprises with investments by
overseas Chinese and compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao shall, with the
exception of those commodities the exportation of which is under
restriction by the State, be exempt from Customs duties on export goods
and consolidated industrial and commercial tax.
Article 12
Enterprises with investments by overseas Chinese and compatriots from Hong
Kong and Macao may obtain loans from financial institutions in China's
inland areas; they may also obtain loans from financial institutions
outside China's inland areas, and may use their assets as well as their
rights and interests as mortgage or security.
Article 13
With respect to enterprises with the capital wholly owned by overseas
Chinese investors and compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao, their period
of operation shall be determined by the investors themselves; as to equity
joint ventures and contractual joint ventures, their period of operation
shall be determined, through consultation, by the various parties to the
above-said joint ventures; they may also set no limit to the period of
operation.
Article 14
The composition of the board of directors of joint ventures and the
appointment of the chairman of the board of directors, the composition of
the board of directors or of the joint management organs of contractual
joint ventures and the appointment of the chairman or the appointment of
the director of the joint management organs, shall be determined, through
consultation, by the various parties to the equity joint ventures or to
the contractual joint ventures in the light of the proportion of
investments or the terms of contract.
Article 15
Enterprises with investments by overseas Chinese and compatriots from Hong
Kong and Macao shall conduct their operational and management activities
in accordance with the approved contract or articles of association. The
enterprises' decision-making power for business operations and management
shall not be interfered with.
Article 16
Overseas Chinese and compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao who have made
investments in China's inland areas, and the technical and managerial
personnel engaged from outside the boundaries of China's inland areas by
enterprises with investments by overseas Chinese and compatriots from Hong
Kong and Macao, may apply for multi-journey travel documents.
Article 17
Overseas Chinese investors and those from Hong Kong and Macao who make
investments in China's inland areas may appoint their relatives or friends
residing in the inland areas as their agents. The agents should hold
legally effective letters of authority.
Article 18
In areas where enterprises with investments by overseas Chinese and
compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao are concentrated, overseas Chinese
investors and those from Hong Kong and Macao may apply to the local
people's government for the establishment of the association of overseas
Chinese investors and investors from Hong Kong and Macao.
Article 19
With respect to equity joint ventures and contractual joint ventures to be
established in China's inland areas, with the investments by overseas
Chinese investors and those from Hong Kong and Macao, the application for
the establishment of the aforesaid enterprises shall be filed by the
inland party; as to the enterprises to be established with capital wholly
owned by overseas Chinese investors and those from Hong Kong and Macao,
the application shall be filed directly by such investors themselves, or
they may entrust their relatives or friends residing in China's inland
areas, or entrust the institution providing consultancy services, with the
application. Applications for the establishment of enterprises with
investments by overseas Chinese and compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao
shall be accepted and handled exclusively by the local department for
foreign economic relations and trade, or by the examining and approving
organs designated by the local people's government.
The examination and approval of the applications for the establishment of
enterprises with investments from overseas Chinese and compatriots from
Hong Kong and Macao shall be handled in accordance with the authorization
by the State Council. Departments for foreign economic relations and trade
at the various levels or the examining and approving organs designated by
the local people's government shall, within forty-five days of receipt of
complete application documents, make the decision on whether the said
application is approved or disapproved.
The applicant shall, within thirty days of receipt of the written
approval, file an application to the department for the administration of
industry and commerce, and, in accordance with the relevant procedures for
registration and administration, go through the procedures for
registration and obtain the business licence.
Article 20
With respect to overseas Chinese investors and those from Hong Kong and
Macao who have made investments in China's inland areas, in case that a
dispute arises during the execution of or in relation to a contract, the
parties concerned shall try their best to settle the dispute through
consultation or mediation.
In case that the parties concerned are unwilling to settle the dispute
through consultation or mediation, or the dispute cannot be settled
through consultation or mediation, the parties concerned may, in
accordance with the stipulations of the arbitration articles in the
contract, or in accordance with the written arbitration agreement reached
by the parties concerned after the dispute has arisen, submit their
dispute to the arbitration authorities in China's inland areas or
elsewhere for settlement.
In the event that the parties concerned did not specify an arbitration
article in their contract, and no written arbitration agreement has been
reached after the dispute occurs, then the dispute may be brought before
the people's court.
Article 21
The right to interpret these Provisions rests with the Ministry of Foreign
Economic Relations and Trade.
Article 22
These Provisions shall go into effect as of the date of promulgation.
conduct their operational and management activities
in accordance with the approved contract or articles of association. The
enterprises' decision-making power for business operations and management
shall not be interfered with.
Article 16
Overseas Chinese and compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao who have made
investments in China's inland areas, and the technical and managerial
personnel engaged from outside the boundaries of China's inland areas by
enterprises with investments by overseas Chinese and compatriots from Hong
Kong and Macao, may apply for multi-journey travel documents.
Article 17
Overseas Chinese investors and those from Hong Kong and Macao who make
investments in China's inland areas may appoint their relatives or friends
residing in the inland areas as their agents. The agents should hold
legally effective letters of authority.
Article 18
In areas where enterprises with investments by overseas Chinese and
compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao are concentrated, overseas Chinese
investors and those from Hong Kong and Macao may apply to the local
people's government for the establishment of the association of overseas
Chinese investors and investors from Hong Kong and Macao.
Article 19
With respect to equity joint ventures and contractual joint ventures to be
established in China's inland areas, with the investments by overseas
Chinese investors and those from Hong Kong and Macao, the application for
the establishment of the aforesaid enterprises shall be filed by the
inland party; as to the enterprises to be established with capital wholly
owned by overseas Chinese investors and those from Hong Kong and Macao,
the application shall be filed directly by such investors themselves, or
they may entrust their relatives or friends residing in China's inland
areas, or entrust the institution providing consultancy services, with the
application. Applications for the establishment of enterprises with
investments by overseas Chinese and compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao
shall be accepted and handled exclusively by the local department for
foreign economic relations and trade, or by the examining and approving
organs designated by the local people's government.
The examination and approval of the applications for the establishment of
enterprises with investments from overseas Chinese and compatriots from
Hong Kong and Macao shall be handled in accordance with the authorization
by the State Council. Departments for foreign economic relations and trade
at the various levels or the examining and approving organs designated by
the local people's government shall, within forty-five days of receipt of
complete application documents, make the decision on whether the said
application is approved or disapproved.
The applicant shall, within thirty days of receipt of the written
approval, file an application to the department for the administration of
industry and commerce, and, in accordance with the relevant procedures for
registration and administration, go through the procedures for
registration and obtain the business licence.
Article 20
With respect to overseas Chinese investors and those from Hong Kong and
Macao who have made investments in China's inland areas, in case that a
dispute arises during the execution of or in relation to a contract, the
parties concerned shall try their best to settle the dispute through
consultation or mediation.
In case that the parties concerned are unwilling to settle the dispute
through consultation or mediation, or the dispute cannot be settled
through consultation or mediation, the parties concerned may, in
accordance with the stipulations of the arbitration articles in the
contract, or in accordance with the written arbitration agreement reached
by the parties concerned after the dispute has arisen, submit their
dispute to the arbitration authorities in China's inland areas or
elsewhere for settlement.
In the event that the parties concerned did not specify an arbitration
article in their contract, and no written arbitration agreement has been
reached after the dispute occurs, then the dispute may be brought before
the people's court.
Article 21
The right to interpret these Provisions rests with the Ministry of Foreign
Economic Relations and Trade.
Article 22
These Provisions shall go into effect as of the date of promulgation.
|