中华人民共和国
合同法
主席令第十五号
（1999年3月1 5日第九届全国人民代表大会第二次会议通过1999年3月1 5日中华人民共和国主席令第15号公布自1999年10月1日起施行）
总则Contract Law of the People’s Republic of China
Adopted 15 March 1999 by the 2nd Session of the 9th National People’s Congress.
General Provisions
第一章一般规定CHAPTER I — GENERAL
PROVISIONS
第一条为了保护合同当事人的合法权益，维护社会经济秩序，促进社会主义现代化建设，制定本法。Article 1.This Law is formulated with a view to protecting the lawful rights and interests of parties, maintaining social and economic order and promoting the development of socialist
modernisation.
第二条本法所称合同是平等主体的自然人、法人、其他组织之间设立、变更、终止民事权利义务关系的协议。
婚姻、收养、监护等有关身份关系的协议，适用其他法律的规定。Article 2.In this Law, “contracts” refers to agreements defining civil rights and obligations which are concluded, amended and terminated between natural persons, legal persons or other organisations of equal status.
With respect to agreements defining status relationships, such as agreements relating to marriage, adoption and guardianship, etc, the provisions of other laws shall apply.
第三条合同当事人的法律地位平等，一方不得将自己的意志强加给另一方。Article 3.Parties to a contract shall be of equal legal status, and neither party may impose its will on the other party.
第四条当事人依法享有自愿订立合同的权利，任何单位和个人不得非法干预。Article 4.Parties have the right to conclude contracts of their own free will in accordance with the law, and no unit or individual may illegally
interfere with the exercise of this right.
第五条当事人应当遵循公平原则确定各方的权利和义务。Article 5.Parties shall observe the principle of fairness in defining their respective rights and obligations.
第六条当事人行使权利、履行义务应当遵循诚实信用原则。Article 6.Parties shall observe the principles of honesty and trustworthiness in exercising their rights and performing their obligations.
第七条当事人订立、履行合同，应当遵守法律、行政法规，尊重社会公德，不得扰乱社会经济秩序，损害社会公共利益。Article 7.Parties shall comply with laws and administrative regulations in concluding and performing contracts, they shall respect social morals, and they may not disturb the social or economic order or harm social and public interests.
第八条依法成立的合同，对当事人具有法律约束力。当事人应当按照约定履行自Article 8.Contracts concluded in accordance with the law shall be legally binding on the parties. A party shall perform its own
己的义务，不得擅自变更或者解除合同。
依法成立的合同，受法律保护。obligations as agreed, and it may not of its own accord alter or terminate the contract. Contracts formed in accordance with the law shall receive the protection of the law.
第二章合同的订立CHAPTER II — CONCLUSION OF
CONTRACTS
第九条当事人订立合同，应当具有相应的民事权利能力和民事行为能力。
当事人依法可以委托代理人订立合同。Article 9. A party concluding a contract shall possess the relevant capacity for civil rights and for civil acts.
A party may authorise its agent to conclude a contract on its behalf.
第十条当事人订立合同，有书面形式、口头形式和其他形式。
法律、行政法规Article 10.Parties shall conclude contracts in writing, orally, or in some other form.
Where laws or administrative regulations stipulate the use of the
规定采用书面形式的，应当采用书面形式。当事人约定采用书面形式的，应当采用书面形式。written form, then the written form shall be used. Where the parties agree to use the written form, then the written form shall be used.
第十一条书面形式是指合同书、信件和数据电文（包括电报、电传、传真、电子数据交换和电子邮件）等可以有形地表现所载内容的形式。Article 11.“Written form” refers to documents of a form such that the content of the contract may be visibly recorded, such as contract instruments, correspondence, and electronic documents (including telegrams, telexes, facsimiles, electronic data interchange and electronic mail).
第十二条合同的内容由当事人约定，一般包括以下条款：
（一）当事人的名称或者姓名和住所；Article 12.The parties shall agree on the content of a contract, and in general the following matters shall be included:
(1) the title or full name and the residence of each party;
（二）标的；
（三）数量；
（四）质量；
（五）价款或者报酬；
（六）履行期限、地点和方式；
（七）违约责任；
（八）解决争议的方法。
当事人可以参照各类合同的示范文本订立合同。(2) the subject matter;
(3) quantity;
(4) quality;
(5) price or remuneration;
(6) period, place and methods of contractual performance;
(7) liability for breach of contract; and
(8) methods of dispute resolution. In concluding a contract, the parties may consult model contract instruments of various kinds.
第十三条当事人订立合同，采取要约、承诺方式。Article 13.In concluding a contract, the parties shall adopt the method of offer and acceptance.
第十四条要约是希望和他人订立合同的Article 14.An offer is an expression of intention to conclude
意思表示，该意思表示应当符合下列规定：
（一）内容具体确定；
（二）表明经受要约人承诺，要约人即受该意思表示约束。a contract with another person, and the said expression of intention shall satisfy the following requirements:
(1) its content shall be concrete and precise; and
(2) it shall be stated clearly that, upon the offer being accepted by the offeree, the offeror shall be bound by his or her expression of intention.
第十五条要约邀请是希望他人向自己发出要约的意思表示。寄送的价目表、拍卖公告、招标公告、招股说明书、商业广告等为要约邀请。
商业广告的内容符合要约规定的，视Article 15.An invitation to treat is an expression of a desire that another person makes one an offer. The mailing of a price list, an auction announcement, a call for tenders, a share prospectus, a commercial advertisement, etc, are all deemed to be invitations to treat. Where the content of a commercial
为要约。advertisement satisfies the
requirements necessary for it to
constitute an offer, it shall be
deemed to be an offer.
第十六条要约到达受要约人时生效。
采用数据电文形式订立合同，收件人指定特定系统接收数据电文的，该数据电文进入该特定系统的时间，视为到达时间；未指定特定系统的，该数据电文进入收件人的任何系统的首次时间，视为到达时间。Article 16.An offer shall take effect when it reaches the offeree. Where a contract is concluded through the use of electronic documents, and the recipient of the offer specifies the use of a particular system for the receipt of electronic documents, the time at which the relevant electronic document enters the said system shall be deemed to be the time at which the offer reaches the offeree; where the recipient has not specified the use of a particular system, then the first time at which the electronic document enters any of the recipient’s systems shall be deemed
to be the time at which the offer reaches the offeree.
第十七条要约可以撤回。撤回要约的通知应当在要约到达受要约人之前或者与要约同时到达受要约人。Article 17.An offer may be withdrawn. Notification of the withdrawal of the offer must reach the offeree before the offer reaches the offeree or at the same time that the offer reaches the offeree.
第十八条要约可以撤销。撤销要约的通知应当在受要约人发出承诺通知之前到达受要约人。Article 18.An offer may be revoked. Notification of the revocation of the offer must reach the offeree before the offeree issues notification of acceptance of the offer.
第十九条有下列情形之一的，要约不得撤销：
（一）要约人确定了承诺期限或者以其他形式明示要约不Article 19.In either of the following situations, an offer may not be revoked:
(1) the offeror specifies an acceptance period or in some other way makes it clear that the offer is
可撤销；
（二）受要约人有理由认为要约是不可撤销的，并已经为履行合同作了准备工作。irrevocable; or
(2) the offeree has grounds for believing that the offer is irrevocable, and has already completed some preparatory work relating to the performance of the contract.
第二十条有下列情形之一的，要约失效：
（一）拒绝要约的通知到达要约人；
（二）要约人依法撤销要约；
（三）承诺期限届满，受要约人未作出承诺；
（四）受要约人对要约的内容作出实质性变更。Article 20.In any of the following situations, an offer shall cease to have effect:
(1) a notification that the offer has been rejected reaches the offeror;
(2) the offeror revokes the offer in accordance with the law;
(3) the period for acceptance of the offer has expired, and the offeree has not accepted the offer; or (4) the offeree materially alters the content of the offer.
第二十一条承诺是受要约人同意要约的意思表示。Article 21.An acceptance is a declaration by the offeree that it agrees with the terms of the offer.
第二十二条承诺应当以通知的方式作出，但根据交易习惯或者要约表明可以通过行为作出承诺的除外。Article 22.Acceptance should be effected by notification, but acceptance may also be effected by conduct in line with business practices or in accordance with the terms of the offer.
第二十三条承诺应当在要约确定的期限内到达要约人。
要约没有确定承诺期限的，承诺应当依照下列规定到达：
（一）要约以对话方式作出的，应当即时作出承诺，但当事人另有约定的除外；Article 23.An acceptance must reach the offeror within the time period specified by the offer. Where the offer does not specify a time period for acceptance, the following rules apply with respect to the time at which the acceptance must reach the offeror:
(1) where the offer is made orally, it must be accepted immediately, except where the parties agree
（二）要约以非对话方式作出的，承诺应当在合理期限内到达。otherwise; or
(2) where the offer is not made orally, acceptance of the offer must reach the offeror within a reasonable time period.
第二十四条要约以信件或者电报作出的，承诺期限自信件载明的日期或者电报交发之日开始计算。信件未载明日期的，自投寄该信件的邮戳日期开始计算。要约以电话、传真等快速通讯方式作出的，承诺期限自要约到达受要约人时开始计算。Article 24.Where an offer is made by correspondence or telegram, the acceptance period shall be calculated from the date shown on the correspondence or the date on which the telegram is sent. Where the correspondence is not clearly dated, the said period shall be calculated from the date of the postmark recording when the said correspondence was sent. Where the offer is made by telephone, facsimile or some other form of instantaneous communication, the acceptance period shall be calculated from the time the offer
reaches the offeree.
第二十五条承诺生效时合同成立。Article 25. A contract is formed at the time an acceptance takes effect.
第二十六条承诺通知到达要约人时生效。承诺不需要通知的，根据交易习惯或者要约的要求作出承诺的行为时生效。
采用数据电文形式订立合同的，承诺到达的时间适用本法第十六条第二款的规定。Article 26. A notification of acceptance of an offer shall take effect from the time it reaches the offeror. Where it is not necessary for there to be notification of acceptance, the acceptance shall take effect from the time the conduct of accepting the offer is carried out in accordance with business practices or the requirements of the offer.
Where a contract is concluded through the use of electronic documents, the provisions of paragraph 2 of Article 16 of this Law shall apply in determining the time at which the acceptance reaches the offeror.
第二十七条承诺可以撤回。撤回承诺的通知应当在承诺通知到达要约人之前或者与承诺通知同时到达要约人。Article 27.An acceptance may be withdrawn. Notification of the withdrawal of the acceptance must reach the offeror before notification of the offeree’s acceptance reaches the offeror or at the same time that the notification of acceptance reaches the offeror.
第二十八条受要约人超过承诺期限发出承诺的，除要约人及时通知受要约人该承诺有效的以外，为新要约。Article 28.Where the offeree accepts the offer after the expiry of the acceptance period, then, except where the offeror immediately notifies the offeree that the said acceptance is effective, such an acceptance shall be deemed to be a new offer.
第二十九条受要约人在承诺期限内发出承诺，按照通常情形能够及时到达要约人，但因其他原因承Article 29.Where the offeree issues an acceptance of the offer within the acceptance period, and where under normal circumstances it would be possible for the
诺到达要约人时超过承诺期限的，除要约人及时通知受要约人因承诺超过期限不接受该承诺的以外，该承诺有效。acceptance to reach the offeror promptly, but for other reasons the acceptance does not reach the offeror until after the expiry of the acceptance period, then, except where the offeror promptly notifies the offeree that the offeror will not accept the said acceptance because of the expiry of the acceptance period, the said acceptance shall be effective.
第三十条承诺的内容应当与要约的内容一致。受要约人对要约的内容作出实质性变更的，为新要约。有关合同标的、数量、质量、价款或者报酬、履行期限、履行地点和方式、违约责任和解决争议方法等的变Article 30.The contents of the acceptance must be identical to the contents of the offer. Where the offeree materially alters the contents of the offer, this shall be deemed to be a new offer. Any relevant alteration to the subject matter of the contract, quantity, quality, price or remuneration, time limits on contractual performance,
更，是对要约内容的实质性变更。the place and methods of contractual performance, liability for breach of contract, and methods of dispute resolution, etc, constitutes a material alteration to the contents of the offer.
第三十一条承诺对要约的内容作出非实质性变更的，除要约人及时表示反对或者要约表明承诺不得对要约的内容作出任何变更的以外，该承诺有效，合同的内容以承诺的内容为准。Article 31.Where the acceptance makes non-material alteration to the contents of the offer, then except where the offeror immediately expresses its opposition, or the offer clearly stipulates that the offeree may not in its acceptance make any alterations to the contents of the offer, the said acceptance shall have effect, and the contents of the contract shall be in accordance with the contents of the acceptance.
第三十二条当事人采用合同书形式订立Article 32.Where a contract is concluded through the use of a
合同的，自双方当事人签字或者盖章时合同成立。contract document, the contract shall be concluded from the time that the two parties sign or affix their respective seals to the contract document.
第三十三条当事人采用信件、数据电文等形式订立合同的，可以在合同成立之前要求签订确认书。签订确认书时合同成立。Article 33.Where a contract is concluded by correspondence or electronic documents, either party may, prior to the contract being concluded, request the signing of a letter of confirmation. Where this is the case, the contract shall be concluded upon the signing of the letter of confirmation.
第三十四条承诺生效的地点为合同成立的地点。
采用数据电文形式订立合同的，收件人的主营业地为合同成立的地点；没有主Article 34.The place at which the acceptance takes effect shall be the place at which the contract is concluded.
Where a contract is concluded through the use of electronic documents, the main place of
营业地的，其经常居住地为合同成立的地点。当事人另有约定的，按照其约定。business of the recipient of the said documents shall be deemed to be the place at which the contract is concluded; where the said recipient does not have a main place of business, the recipient’s usual place of abode shall be deemed to be the place at which the contract is concluded. Where the parties agree otherwise, the parties’ agreement shall have effect.
第三十五条当事人采用合同书形式订立合同的，双方当事人签字或者盖章的地点为合同成立的地点。Article 35.Where a contract is concluded through the use of a contract document, the place at which the parties sign or affix their respective seals on the contract document shall be the place at which the contract is concluded.
第三十六条法律、行政法规规定或者当事人约定采用书面形Article 36.Where laws and administrative regulations stipulate that the contract is to be concluded
式订立合同，当事人未采用书面形式但一方已经履行主要义务，对方接受的，该合同成立。in writing, or the parties agree to conclude the contract in writing, but where the parties fail to conclude the contract in writing, and one side has already performed a major obligation under the contract, and the other party has accepted the said performance, the said contract shall be concluded.
第三十七条采用合同书形式订立合同，在签字或者盖章之前，当事人一方已经履行主要义务，对方接受的，该合同成立。Article 37.Where a contract document is used to conclude a contract, and prior to signing or affixing seals on the contract document, one of the parties has already performed a major obligation under the contract, and the other party has accepted the said performance, the said contract shall be concluded.
第三十八条国家根据需要下达指令性任Article 38.Where the State, in accordance with its needs, assigns
务或者国家订货任务的，有关法人、其他组织之间应当依照有关法律、行政法规规定的权利和义务订立合同。mandatory tasks or tasks relating to state orders for goods, relevant legal persons and other organisations shall conclude contracts between themselves in accordance with the rights and obligations stipulated in relevant laws and administrative regulations.
第三十九条采用格式条款订立合同的，提供格式条款的一方应当遵循公平原则确定当事人之间的权利和义务，并采取合理的方式提请对方注意免除或者限制其责任的条款，按照对方的要求，对该条款予以说明。
格式条款是当事Article 39.Where a contract is concluded through the use of standard clauses, the party proposing the standard clauses shall observe the principle of fairness in defining the rights and responsibilities of the parties, and the said party must take reasonable steps to draw the other party’s particular attention to those clauses which eliminate or limit the said party’s liabilities, and must, where