The Foreign Trade Law of the People’s Republic of China

Article 1  This Law is formulated in order to broaden the opening to the outside world, develop the Foreign Trade, maintain the Foreign Trade order, protect the legitimate rights and interests of Foreign Trade Operators, and promote a healthy development of the socialist market economy.

Article 2  This Law shall apply to the Foreign Trade and the protection of Foreign Trade related intellectual property rights.

Foreign Trade, for the purpose of this Law, means the import and export of goods and import and export of technologies and the international trade in services.

Article 3  The State Council’s Competent Foreign Trade authority is in charge, in accordance with this Law, of the administration of the Foreign Trade nationwide.

Article 4  The State implements a uniform Foreign Trade system, encourages the development of the Foreign Trade, and maintains a fair and free Foreign Trade order.

Article 5  The People’s Republic of China will, based on the principles of equality and mutual benefit, promote and develop trade relations with other countries and regions, conclude or accede to agreements on Customs Unions or free trade zones and other regional economic and trade agreements, and join regional economic organizations.

Article 6  The People’s Republic of China, in respect of the Foreign Trade, in accordance with international treaties or agreements to which the People’s Republic of China is a contracting party or acceding party, grants the other contracting parties or acceding parties the most-favoured-nation treatment, national treatment or other treatments, or on the principles of mutual advantage and reciprocity, grants the other party the most-favoured-nation treatment, national treatment or other treatments.

Article 7  In the event that any country or region applies discriminatory prohibitions, restrictions or other like measures against the People’s Republic of China in respect of trade, the People’s Republic of China may, depending on actual circumstances, take countermeasures against the aforesaid country or region.