This English document is coming from the "LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF THE
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
INTERIM REGULATIONS ON FOREIGN EXCHANGE CONTROL OF THE PEOPLE'S
REPUBLIC OF CHINA
(Promulgated by the State Council on December 18, 1980)
Chapter I General Provisions
Article 1
These Regulations are formulated for the purpose of strengthening foreign
exchange control, increasing national foreign exchange income and
economizing on foreign exchange expenditure so as to facilitate the
development of national economy and safeguard the rights and interests of
the country.
All foreign exchange income and expenditure, the issuance and circulation
of all kinds of payment instruments in foreign currency, and the carrying
of foreign exchange, precious metals and payment instruments in foreign
currency into and out of the territory of the People's Republic of China
shall be governed by these Regulations.
Article 2
Foreign exchange mentioned in these Regulations refers to:
a. foreign currencies, including banknotes, coins, etc.
b. securities in foreign currency, including government bonds, treasury
bills, corporate bonds and debentures, stocks, and interest coupons, etc.
c. instruments payable in foreign currency, including bills, drafts,
cheques, bank deposit certificates, postal savings certificates, etc.
d. other foreign exchange funds.
Article 3
The People's Republic of China pursues the policy of centralized control
and unified management of foreign exchange by the State.
The administrative agency of the People's Republic of China in charge of
foreign exchange control is the State Administration of Foreign Exchange
Control (SAFEC) and its branch offices.
The specialized bank of the People's Republic of China engaged in foreign
exchange business is the Bank of China. No other financial institution
shall engage in foreign exchange business, unless approved by the SAFEC.
Article 4
All Chinese and foreign organizations or individuals within the territory
of the People's Republic of China must, unless otherwise stipulated by
law, decrees and these Regulations, sell their foreign exchange to the
Bank of China. Any foreign exchange they required is to be sold to them by
the Bank of China in accordance with the plans approved by the State or
with relevant provisions.
The circulation, use and mortgage of foreign currency, the unauthorized
sales and purchases of foreign exchange, and the unlawful procurement of
foreign exchange or evasion of foreign exchange control by whatever means
are prohibited within the territory of the People's Republic of China.
Chapter II Foreign Exchange Control Relating to State Units and Collective Economic Organizations
Article 5
All the foreign exchange incomes and expenditures of State organs, units
of the armed forces, nongovernmental bodies, schools, State enterprises,
institutions and urban and rural collective economic organizations within
China's territory (hereinafter referred to as organizations within
territory) are all subject to planned control. Organizations within
territory are permitted to hold their retained foreign exchange in
accordance with the relevant provisions.
Article 6
Unless approved by the SAFEC or its branch offices, organizations within
territory shall not possess foreign exchange; deposit foreign exchange
abroad; offset foreign exchange expenditure against foreign exchange
income; or use the foreign exchange belonging to State organs stationed
abroad or enterprises and institutions established in foreign countries or
in the Hong Kong and Macao regions by the State, by way of borrowing or
acquisition.
Article 7
Unless approved by the State Council, organizations within territory shall
not issue securities with foreign exchange value inside or outside China.
Article 8
With regard to loans to be accepted by organizations within territory from
banks or enterprises in foreign countries or in the Hong Kong and Macao
regions, the relevant competent departments under the State Council or the
relevant people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and
municipalities directly under the Central Government shall consolidate and
draw up overall annual plans for such loans which must be submitted to the
SAFEC and the Foreign Investment Control Commission for examination and
transmission to the State Council for approval.
The measures for examining and approving such loans shall be prescribed
separately.
Article 9
Any foreign exchange held by organizations within territory, including
their retained foreign exchange, non-trade foreign exchange and foreign
exchange under compensatory trade received in advance and reserved for
later payments, funds borrowed in convertible foreign currencies and other
foreign exchange held with the approval of the SAFEC or its branch offices
must be placed in foreign currency deposit accounts or foreign currency
quota accounts to be opened with the Bank of China, and must be used
within the prescribed scope and be subject to the supervision of the Bank
of China.
Article 10
When organizations within territory import or export goods, the banks
handling the transactions shall check their foreign exchange receipts and
payments either against the import or export licenses duly verified by the
Customs or against the Customs declaration forms for imports or exports.
Article 11
State organs stationed abroad must use foreign exchange according to the
plan approved by the State.
The profits derived from their business operations by enterprises and
institutions established in foreign countries or in the Hong Kong and
Macao regions, except for the portion kept there as working funds
according to the plan approved by the State, must be transferred back on
schedule and be sold to the Bank of China.
No organization stationed abroad is permitted to keep foreign exchange for
organizations within territory without authorization.
Article 12
Delegations and working groups sent temporarily to foreign countries or to
the Hong Kong and Macao regions must use foreign exchange according to
their respective specific plans, and must, upon completion of their
missions and return, promptly transfer back to China their surplus foreign
exchange to be checked by and sold to the Bank of China. Foreign exchange
earned in their various business activities by the delegations and working
groups mentioned in the preceding paragraph and by members thereof, must
be promptly transferred back to China and must not be kept abroad without
the approval of the SAFEC or its branch offices.
Chapter III Foreign Exchange Control Relating to Individuals
Article 13
Foreign exchange remitted from foreign countries or from the Hong Kong and
Macao regions to Chinese, foreign nationals and stateless persons residing
in China must be sold to the Bank of China, except the portion retained as
permitted by the State.
Article 14
Chinese, foreign nationals and stateless persons residing in China shall
be permitted to keep in their own possession foreign exchange already in
China.
The foreign exchange mentioned in the preceding paragraph shall not,
without authorization, be carried or sent out of China either by owners or
by others or by post. If the owners need to sell the foreign exchange,
they must sell it to the Bank of China and are permitted to retain a
portion of the foreign exchange according to the percentage prescribed by
the State.
Article 15
When the foreign exchange that has been kept in foreign countries or in
the Hong Kong and Macao regions by Chinese residing in China prior to the
founding of the People's Republic of China, by overseas Chinese prior to
their returning to and settling down in China, or by Hong Kong and Macao
compatriots prior to their returning to and settling down in their native
places, is transferred to China, the owners shall be permitted to retain a
portion of the foreign exchange according to the percentage prescribed by
the State.
Article 16
When the foreign exchange belonging personally to individuals sent to work
or study in foreign countries or in the Hong Kong and Macao regions is
remitted or brought back to China, the owners, upon the completion of
their missions and return, shall be permitted to retain the entire amount
of the foreign exchange.
Article 17
The percentages of foreign exchange retention permitted under Articles 13,
14, and 15 of these Regulations shall be prescribed separately.
Foreign exchange retained by individuals as permitted under Articles 13,
14, 15, and 16 of these Regulations must be deposited with the Bank of
China. These foreign exchange deposits may be sold to the Bank of China or
remitted out of China through the Bank of China, or taken out of China
against certification by the Bank of China. It is however not permitted,
without authorization, to carry or send deposit certificates out of China
either by holders or by others or by post.
Article 18
The foreign exchange remitted or brought into China from foreign countries
or from the Hong Kong and Macao regions by foreign nationals coming to
China, by overseas Chinese and Hong Kong and Macao compatriots returning
for a short stay, by foreign experts, technicians, staff members and
workers engaged to work in organizations within China, and by foreign
students and trainees, may be kept in their own possession, or sold to or
deposited with the Bank of China, or remitted or taken out of China.
Article 19
Chinese, foreign nationals and stateless persons residing in China may
apply to the local branch offices of the SAFEC for the purchase of foreign
exchange to be remitted or taken out of China. Upon approval of such
applications, the required foreign exchange shall be sold to the
applicants by the Bank of China.
When foreign experts, technicians, staff members and workers engaged to
work in organizations within territory are to remit or take out of China
their foreign exchange, the Bank of China shall handle the matter in
accordance with the stipulations as provided in the relevant contracts or
agreements.
Chapter IV Foreign Exchange Control Relating to Foreign Resident Representative Offices in China and Their Personnel
Article 20
Foreign exchange remitted or brought into China from foreign countries or
from the Hong Kong and Macao regions by foreign diplomatic missions,
consular posts, commercial offices, offices of international organizations
and nongovernmental bodies resident office in China, foreign diplomatic
and consular officers as well as other resident staff members of the
aforesaid missions, posts and offices, may be kept in their own
possession, or sold to or deposited with the Bank of China, or remitted or
taken out of China.
Article 21
The conversion into foreign currency, if required, of visa and
certification fees received in Renminbi from Chinese citizens by foreign
diplomatic missions and consular posts in China, is subject to approval by
the SAFEC or its branch offices.
Chapter V Foreign Exchange Control Relating to Enterprises with Overseas Chinese Capital, Foreign-Capital Enterprises, and Chinese- Foreign Equity Joint Ventures and Their Personnel
Article 22
All foreign exchange receipts of enterprises with overseas Chinese
capital, foreign-capital enterprises and Chinese-foreign equity joint
ventures must be deposited with the Bank of China, and all their foreign
exchange disbursements must be effected from their foreign exchange
deposit accounts.
The enterprises mentioned in the preceding paragraph must periodically
submit their statements of foreign exchange business to the SAFEC or its
branch offices, all of which are empowered to check on the movements of
the foreign exchange receipts and payments of these enterprises.
Article 23
Except where otherwise approved by the SAFEC or its branch offices,
Renminbi shall in all cases be used in the settlement of accounts between
enterprises with overseas Chinese capital, foreign-capital enterprises,
Chinese-foreign equity joint ventures on the one hand and other
enterprises or individuals residing in the People's Republic of China on
the other hand.
Article 24
Enterprises with overseas Chinese capital, foreign-capital enterprises and
foreign joint venturers in Chinese-foreign equity joint ventures may apply
to the Bank of China for remitting abroad their net profits as well as
other legitimate earnings after taxation according to law, by debiting the
foreign exchange deposit accounts of the enterprises concerned.
Where the enterprises and foreign joint ventures mentioned in the
preceding paragraph are to transfer foreign exchange capital abroad, they
shall apply to the SAFEC or its branch offices for the transfer by
debiting the foreign exchange deposit accounts of the enterprises
concerned.
Article 25
An amount not exceeding 50% of their after-tax legitimate net earnings
from wages, etc. may be remitted or taken out of China in foreign
currency by staff members and workers of foreign nationality and those
from the Hong Kong and Macao regions employed by enterprises with overseas
Chinese capital, foreign-capital enterprises and Chinese-foreign equity
joint ventures.
Article 26
Enterprises with overseas Chinese capital, foreign-capital enterprises and
Chinese-foreign equity joint ventures which wind up operations in
accordance with legal procedure, shall be responsible for the liquidation,
within the scheduled period, of their outstanding liabilities and taxes
due in China under the joint supervision of the relevant competent
departments and the SAFEC or its branch offices.
Chapter VI Control Relating to Carrying Foreign Exchange, Precious Metals and Payment Instruments in Foreign Currency into and out of China
Article 27
No restriction as to the amount is imposed on the carrying into China of
foreign exchange, precious metals and objects made from them, but
declaration to the Customs is required at the place of entry.
To carry out of China foreign exchange or the foreign exchange previously
brought in shall be permitted by the Customs against certification by the
Bank of China or against the original declaration form filled out at the
time of entry.
To carry out of China precious metals and objects made from them or the
precious metals and objects made from them previously brought in shall be
permitted by the Customs according to the specific circumstances as
prescribed by State regulations or against the original declaration form
filled out at the time of entry.
Article 28
To bring into China Renminbi traveller's cheques, traveller's letters of
credit and other Renminbi payment instruments convertible into foreign
currency shall be permitted by the Customs against the declaration form
filled out at the Customs; and to take the same out of China shall be
permitted by the Customs against certification by the Bank of China or
against the original declaration form filled out at the time of entry.
Article 29
Unless otherwise approved by the SAFEC or its branch offices, it is not
permitted to carry or send out of China by holders or by others or by post
such certificates and deeds held by Chinese residing in China as bonds,
debentures, share certificates issued abroad; title deeds for real estate
abroad; other documents or deeds involving the disposal of creditor's
right, inheritance, real estate or other foreign exchange assets abroad.
Article 30
The carrying or sending out of China of Renminbi instruments, such as
Renminbi cheques, drafts, passbooks and deposit certificates, held by
Chinese or foreign nationals or stateless persons residing in China, is
not permitted, either by holders or by others or by post.
Chapter VII Supplementary Provisions
Article 31
All units and individuals have the right to report any violation of these
Regulations. Rewards shall be given to such units or individuals
according to the merits of the report. Violators shall be penalized by the
SAFEC, its branch offices or by public security organs, or by
administrative departments of industry and commerce, or by the Customs. In
light of the seriousness of the offence, the penalties may take the form
of compulsory exchange of the foreign currency for Renminbi, or fine or
confiscation of the properties or both, or punishment by judicial organs
according to law.
Article 32
The exchange control measures for special economic zones, for frontier
trade and for personal dealings between inhabitants across the border
shall be formulated, in accordance with these Regulations, by the people's
governments of the provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities
directly under the Central Government in the light of actual local
conditions, be submitted to the State Council for approval and be enforced
thereupon.
Article 33
Rules for the implementation of these Regulations shall be formulated by
the SAFEC.
Article 34
These Regulations shall enter into effect on March 1, 1981.
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