1998

LAW OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON THE TERRITORIAL SEA AND THE CONTIGUOUS ZONE

The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress

Order of the President of the People’s Republic of China

No.55

The Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone, adopted at the 24th Meeting of the Standing
Committee of the Seventh National People’s Congress on February 25, 1992, is promulgated now and shall enter into force as of the
date of promulgation.

President of the People’s Republic of China: Yang Shangkun

February 25, 1992

Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone

Article 1

This Law is enacted for the People’s Republic of China to exercise its sovereignty over its territorial sea and the control over its
contiguous zone, and to safeguard its national security and its maritime rights and interests.

Article 2

The territorial sea of the People’s Republic of China is the sea belt adjacent to the land territory and the internal waters of the
People’s Republic of China.

The land territory of the People’s Republic of China includes the mainland of the People’s Republic of China and its coastal islands;
Taiwan and all islands appertaining thereto including the Diaoyu Islands; the Penghu Islands; the Dongsha Islands; the Xisha Islands;
the Zhongsha Islands and the Nansha Islands; as well as all the other islands belonging to the People’s Republic of China.

The waters on the landward side of the baselines of the territorial sea of the People’s Republic of China constitute the internal
waters of the People’s Republic of China.

Article 3

The breadth of the territorial sea of the People’s Republic of China is twelve nautical miles, measured from the baselines of the
territorial sea.

The method of straight baselines composed of all the straight lines joining the adjacent base points shall be employed in drawing
the baselines of the territorial sea of the People’s Republic of China.

The outer limit of the territorial sea of the People’s Republic of China is the line every point of which is at a distance equal to
twelve nautical miles from the nearest point of the baseline of the territorial sea.

Article 4

The contiguous zone of the People’s Republic of China is the sea belt adjacent to and beyond the territorial sea. The breadth of the
contiguous zone is twelve nautical miles.

The outer limit of the contiguous zone of the People’s Republic of China is the line every point of which is at a distance equal to
twenty-four nautical miles from the nearest point of the baseline of the territorial sea.

Article 5

The sovereignty of the People’s Republic of China over its territorial sea extends to the air space over the territorial sea as well
as to the bed and subsoil of the territorial sea.

Article 6

Foreign ships for non-military purposes shall enjoy the right of innocent passage through the territorial sea of the People’s Republic
of China in accordance with the law.

Foreign ships for military purposes shall be subject to approval by the Government of the People’s Republic of China for entering
the territorial sea of the People’s Republic of China.

Article 7

Foreign submarines and other underwater vehicles, when passing through the territorial sea of the People’s Republic of China, shall
navigate on the surface and show their flag.

Article 8

Foreign ships passing through the territorial sea of the People’s Republic of China must comply with the laws and regulations of the
People’s Republic of China and shall not be prejudicial to the peace, security and good order of the People’s Republic of China.

Foreign nuclear-powered ships and ships carrying nuclear, noxious or other dangerous substances, when passing through the territorial
sea of the People’s Republic of China, must carry relevant documents and take special precautionary measures.

The Government of the People’s Republic of China has the right to take all necessary measures to prevent and stop non-innocent passage
through its territorial sea.

Cases of foreign ships violating the laws or regulations of the People’s Republic of China shall be handled by the relevant organs
of the People’s Republic of China in accordance with the law.

Article 9

The Government of the People’s Republic of China may, for maintaining the safety of navigation or for other special needs, request
foreign ships passing through the territorial sea of the People’s Republic of China to use the designated sea lanes or to navigate
according to the prescribed traffic separation schemes. The specific regulations to this effect shall be promulgated by the Government
of the People’s Republic of China or its competent authorities concerned.

Article 10

In the case of violation of the laws or regulations of the People’s Republic of China by a foreign ship for military purposes or a
foreign government ship for noncommercial purposes when passing through the territorial sea of the People’s Republic of China, the
competent authorities of the People’s Republic of China shall have the right to order it to leave the territorial sea immediately
and the flag State shall bear international responsibility for any loss or damage thus caused.

Article 11

All international organizations, foreign organizations or individuals shall obtain approval from the Government of the People’s Republic
of China for carrying out scientific research, marine operations or other activities in the territorial sea of the People’s Republic
of China, and shall comply with the laws and regulations of the People’s Republic of China.

All illegal entries into the territorial sea of the People’s Republic of China for carrying out scientific research, marine operations
or other activities in contravention of the provisions of the preceding paragraph of this Article, shall be dealt with by the relevant
organs of the People’s Republic of China in accordance with the law.

Article 12

No aircraft of a foreign State may enter the air space over the territorial sea of the People’s Republic of China unless there is
a relevant protocol or agreement between the Government of that State and the Government of the People’s Republic of China, or approval
or acceptance by the Government of the People’s Republic of China or the competent authorities authorized by it.

Article 13

The People’s Republic of China has the right to exercise control in the contiguous zone to prevent and impose penalties for activities
infringing the laws or regulations concerning security, the customs, finance, sanitation or entry and exit control within its land
territory, internal waters or territorial sea.

Article 14

The competent authorities concerned of the People’s Republic of China may, when they have good reasons to believe that a foreign ship
has violated the laws or regulations of the People’s Republic of China, exercise the right of hot pursuit against the foreign ship.

Such pursuit shall be commenced when the foreign ship or one of its boats or other craft engaged in activities by using the ship pursued
as a mother ship is within the internal waters, the territorial sea or the contiguous zone of the People’s Republic of China.

If the foreign ship is within the contiguous zone of the People’s Republic of China, the pursuit may be undertaken only when there
has been a violation of the rights as provided for in the relevant laws or regulations listed in Article 13 of this Law.

The pursuit, if not interrupted, may be continued outside the territorial sea or the contiguous zone until the ship pursued enters
the territorial sea of its own country or of a third State.

The right of hot pursuit provided for in this Article shall be exercised by ships or aircraft of the People’s Republic of China for
military purposes, or by ships or aircraft on government service authorized by the Government of the People’s Republic of China.

Article 15

The baselines of the territorial sea of the People’s Republic of China shall be promulgated by the Government of the People’s Republic
of China.

Article 16

The Government of the People’s Republic of China formulates the relevant regulations in accordance with this Law.

Article 17

This Law shall come into force on the date for promulgation.



 
The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress
1992-02-25

 







CIRCULAR OF THE STATE COUNCIL REGARDING THE FURTHER OPENING OF CHONGQING AND SOME OTHER CITIES

Category  SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONES AND COASTAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ZONES Organ of Promulgation  The State Council Status of Effect  In Force
Date of Promulgation  1992-07-30 Effective Date  1992-07-30  


Circular of the State Council Regarding the Further Opening of Chongqing and Some Other Cities

(July 30, 1992)

    The State Council has resolved to further open five cities–Chongqing,
Yueyang, Wuhan, Jiujiang and Wuhu along the Yangtze River, four provincial
capitals–Ha’erbin, Changchun, Huhhot and Shijiazhuang in border areas or
along the coast, and 11 provincial capitals–Taiyuan, Hefei, Nanchang,
Zhengzhou, Changsha, Chengdu, Guiyang, Xi’an, Lanzhou, Xining, and Yinchuan
in inland areas. In the above-mentioned cities, the policy on costal open
cities shall be implemented. Moreover, until the end of 1995, these cities
shall be exempt from import duties and product taxes (value-added taxes) for
the equipment imported to meet the requirements of technological reforms which
conform to the state’s industrial policy, and for the processing machinery
imported to develop export-oriented agriculture and that are presently
impossible to obtain domestically.






PROTECTION OF RIGHTS AND INTERESTS OF WOMEN

Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Protection of Rights and Interests of Women

    

(ADOPTED AT THE FIFTH SESSION OF THE SEVENTH NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS ON APRIL 3, 1992)

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I GENERAL PROVISIONS

CHAPTER II POLITICAL RIGHTS

CHAPTER III RIGHTS AND INTERESTS RELATING TO CULTURE AND EDUCATION CHAPTER IV RIGHTS AND INTERESTS RELATING TO WORK

CHAPTER V RIGHTS AND INTERESTS RELATING TO PROPERTY

CHAPTER VI RIGHTS RELATING TO THE PERSON

CHAPTER VII RIGHTS AND INTERESTS RELATING TO MARRIAGE AND FAMILY CHAPTER VIII LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY

CHAPTER IX SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS

   Article 1. In accordance with the Constitution and the actual conditions of the country, this Law is formulated to protect women’s
lawful rights and interests, promote the equality between men and women and allow full play to women’s role in
socialist modernization.

   Article 2. Women shall enjoy equal rights with men in all aspects of political, economic, cultural, social and family life.

The state shall protect the special rights and interests enjoyed by women according to law, and gradually perfect its
social security system with respect to women.

Discrimination against, maltreatment of, or cruel treatment in any manner causing injury even death of women shall be prohibited.

   Article 3. The protection of women’s lawful rights and interests is a common responsibility of the whole society. State
organs, public organizations, enterprises and institutions as well as urban and rural mass organizations of self-government
at the grass-roots level shall, in accordance with the provisions of this Law and other relevant laws, protect women’s
rights and interests.

The state shall take effective measures to provide necessary conditions for women to exercise their rights according
to law.

   Article 4. The State Council and the people’s governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly
under the Central Government shall, by taking organizational measures, coordinate with relevant departments
in ensuring the protection of women’s rights and interests. The specific organs shall be designated by the
State Council and the people’s governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the
Central Government.

   Article 5. The All-China Women’s Federation and women’s federations at various levels shall represent and uphold the rights
of women of all nationalities and all walks of life, and strive for the protection of women’s rights and interests.

The trade unions and the Communist Youth League organizations shall also, within the scope of their respective work,
strive for the protection of women’s rights and interests.

   Article 6. The state shall encourage women to cultivate a sense of self-respect, self-confidence, self-reliance and self-strengthening,
and to safeguard their own lawful rights and interests by utilizing law. Women shall abide by the laws of the state,
respect social morality and perform their obligations prescribed by law.

   Article 7. People’s governments at various levels and relevant departments shall commend and award the organizations and individuals
that have made notable achievements in the protection of women’s lawful rights and interests.

CHAPTER II POLITICAL RIGHTS

   Article 8. The state shall guarantee that women enjoy equal political rights with men.

   Article 9. Women have the right to conduct state affairs, manage economic and cultural undertakings and administer social affairs
through various channels and in various ways.

   Article 10. Women shall enjoy the equal right, with men, to vote and to stand for election.

Among deputies to the National People’s Congress and local people’s congresses at various levels, there shall be
an appropriate number of women deputies, and the proportion thereof shall be raised gradually.

   Article 11. The state shall actively train and select female cadres.

State organs, public organizations, enterprises and institutions must, in appointing cadres, adhere to the principle
of equality between men and women, and attach importance to the training and selection of female cadres for leading posts.

The state shall pay attention to the training and selection of female cadres of minority nationalities.

   Article 12. Women’s federations at various levels and their member organizations may recommend female cadres to state organs,
public organizations, enterprises or institutions.

   Article 13. The departments concerned shall listen to and accept criticisms or rational suggestions regarding the protection
of women’s rights and interests; with respect to complaints or charges against, or exposures of infringement
upon women’s rights and interests, the departments concerned must ascertain the facts, and be responsible for
the disposition thereof; no organization or individual may suppress such complaints, charges or exposures or resort
to retaliation.

CHAPTER III RIGHTS AND INTERESTS RELATING TO CULTURE AND EDUCATION

   Article 14. The state shall guarantee that women enjoy equal rights with men with respect to culture and education.

   Article 15. Schools and departments concerned shall, by implementing the relevant regulations of the state, guarantee that women
enjoy equal rights with men in such aspects as starting school, entering a higher school, job assignment upon
graduation, conferment of academic degrees and dispatch for study abroad.

   Article 16. Schools shall, in line with the characteristics of female adolescents, take measures in respect of education, management
and facilities so as to ensure their sound development in body and in mind.

   Article 17. Parents or other guardians must perform their duty of ensuring that female school-age children or adolescents receive
the compulsory education.

Where parents or other guardians fail to send female school-age children or adolescents to school, the local people’s
governments shall admonish and criticize them and, by adopting effective measures, order them to send their female
school-age children or adolescents to school, with the exception of those who, on account of illness or
other special circumstances, are allowed by the local people’s governments not to go to school.

The governments, society and schools shall, in the light of the actual difficulties of female school-age children
or adolescents in schooling, take effective measures to ensure that female school-age children or adolescents
receive compulsory education for the number of years locally prescribed.

   Article 18. People’s governments at various levels shall, in accordance with relevant provisions, incorporate the work of
elimination of illiteracy or semi-literacy among women into plans for illiteracy elimination and post-elimination
education, adopt organizational forms and working methods suitable to women’s characteristics, and organize and supervise
the relevant departments in the implementation of such plans.

   Article 19. People’s governments at various levels and departments concerned shall take measures to organize women in receiving
vocational education and technological training.

   Article 20. State organs, public organizations, enterprises and institutions shall,by implementing relevant regulations
of the state, ensure that women enjoy equal rights with men in their participation in scientific, technological, literary,
artistic and other cultural activities.

CHAPTER IV RIGHTS AND INTERESTS RELATING TO WORK

   Article 21. The state shall guarantee that women enjoy the equal right, with men, to work.

   Article 22. With the exception of the special types of work or post unsuitable to women, no unit may, in employing staff and workers,
refuse to employ women by reason of sex or raise the employment standards for women.

Recruitment of female workers under the age of sixteen shall be prohibited.

   Article 23. Equal pay for equal work shall be applied to men and women alike.

Women shall be equal with men in the allotment of housing and enjoyment of welfare benefits.

   Article 24. In such aspects as promotion in post or in rank, evaluation and determination of professional and technological post_titles,
the principle of equality between men and women shall be upheld and discrimination against women shall not be allowed.

   Article 25. All units shall, in line with women’s characteristics and according to law, protect women’s safety and health
during their work or physical labour, and shall not assign them any work or physical labour not suitable to women.

Women shall be under special protection during menstrual period, pregnancy, obstetrical period and nursing period.

   Article 26. No unit may dismiss woman staff and workers or unilaterally terminate labour contracts with them by reason
of marriage, pregnancy, maternity leave or baby-nursing.

   Article 27. The state shall develop social insurance, social relief and medical and health services to create conditions
allowing old, ill or disabled women to obtain material assistance.

CHAPTER V RIGHTS AND INTERESTS RELATING TO PROPERTY

   Article 28. The state shall guarantee that women enjoy the equal right, with men, to property.

   Article 29. In joint property relationship derived from marriage or family, the rights and interests enjoyed by women according
to law may not be infringed upon.

   Article 30. Women shall enjoy equal rights with men in the allotment of responsibility farmland, or grain ration farmland and in the
approval of housing sites in rural areas, and women’s lawful rights thereto shall not be infringed upon. After marriage
or divorce, women’s responsibility farmland, grain ration farmland and housing sites shall be secured.

   Article 31. Women’s equal right, with men, of succession to property shall be protected by law. Among the statutory successors in the
same order, women shall not be discriminated against. Widowed women have the right to dispose of the property inherited
by them, and no one may interfere with the disposition thereof.

   Article 32. Widowed women who have made the predominant contributions in maintaining their parents-in-law shall be regarded
as the statutory successors first in order, and their rights of succession thereto shall not be affected by inheritance
in subrogation.

CHAPTER VI RIGHTS RELATING TO THE PERSON

   Article 33. The state shall guarantee that women enjoy equal rights with men relating to their persons.

   Article 34. Women’s freedom of the person shall be inviolable. Unlawful detention or deprivation or restriction of women’s
freedom of the person by other illegal means shall be prohibited; and unlawful body search of women shall be prohibited.

   Article 35. Women’s right of life and health shall be inviolable. Drowning, abandoning or cruel infanticide in any manner of
female babies shall be prohibited; discrimination against or maltreatment of women who gave birth to female babies
or women who are sterile shall be prohibited; cruel treatment causing injury even death of women by superstition
or violence shall be prohibited; maltreatment or abandonment of aged women shall be prohibited.

   Article 36. Abduction of and trafficking in, or kidnapping of women shall be prohibited; buying of women who are abducted and trafficked
in, or kidnapped shall be prohibited.

People’s governments and relevant departments must take timely measures to rescue women who are abducted and trafficked
in, or kidnapped. If such women have returned to their former places of residence, nobody may discriminate against
them, and the local people’s governments and relevant departments shall well settle the problems arising thereafter.

   Article 37. Prostitution or whoring shall be prohibited.

It is prohibited for anyone to organize, force, seduce, shelter or introduce a woman to engage in prostitution
or employ or shelter a woman to engage in obscene activities with others.

   Article 38. Women’s right of portrait shall be protected by law. The use of a woman’s portrait for profit-making purposes in advertisements,
trademarks, window display, books, magazines, etc., without the consent of the interested woman shall be prohibited.

   Article 39. Women’s right of reputation and personal dignity shall be protected by law. Damage to women’s reputation or personal dignity
by such means as insult, libel and giving publicity to private affairs shall be prohibited.

CHAPTER VII RIGHTS AND INTERESTS RELATING TO MARRIAGE AND FAMILY

   Article 40. The state shall guarantee that women enjoy equal rights with men in marriage and family.

   Article 41. The state shall protect women’s right of self-determination in marriage. Interference with women’s
freedom of marriage or divorce shall be prohibited.

   Article 42. When a wife terminates gestation as required by the family planning programme, her husband may not apply for a divorce
within six months after the operation; this restriction shall not apply in a case where the wife applies for a divorce,
or when the people’s court deems it necessary to accept the divorce application made by the husband.

   Article 43. A woman shall enjoy equal rights with her spouse in possessing, utilizing, profiting from and disposing of the property
jointly possessed by the husband and wife according to law, which shall not be affected by the status of income of
either party.

   Article 44. The state shall protect divorced women’s ownership of their houses.

At the time of divorce, the husband and the wife shall seek agreement regarding the disposition of their jointly
possessed houses; if they fail to reach an agreement, the people’s court shall make a judgment in accordance
with the actual circumstances of both parties and by taking into consideration the rights and interests of the wife
and their child (children), except as otherwise agreed upon by the two parties.

In a case where the husband and wife jointly rent a house or a room, the wife’s housing shall, at the time of divorce,
be solved according to the principle of taking into consideration the rights and interests of the wife and their child (children).

In a case where the husband and wife live in a house allocated by the unit to which the husband belongs, if the wife has
no housing to live in at the time of divorce, the husband shall help her in this regard whenever he can afford to.

   Article 45. Both parents shall enjoy the equal right to guardianship of their minor child (children).

In a case where the father is deceased, incapacitated or under any other circumstances that make him unable to act as the
guardian of a minor child (children), nobody may interfere with the mother’s right of guardianship.

   Article 46. At the time of divorce, if the wife becomes sterile because of the sterilization operation or any other reasons, the
problem to bring up the child (children) shall be so handled that, while to the advantage of the rights and
interests of the child (children), due consideration shall be given to the wife’s reasonable demands.

   Article 47. Women have the right to child-bearing in accordance with relevant regulations of the state as well as the freedom
not to bear any child.

Where a couple of child-bearing age practise family planning according to the relevant regulations of the
state, the departments concerned shall provide safe and effective contraceptives and techniques, and ensure
the health and safety of the woman receiving any birth-control operation.

CHAPTER VIII LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY

   Article 48. When a woman’s lawful rights and interests are infringed upon, she has the right to request the competent department concerned
for a disposition or bring a lawsuit in a people’s court according to law.

When a woman’s lawful rights and interests are infringed upon, she may file a complaint with a women’s organization,
which shall request the relevant department or unit to investigate and deal with the case so as to protect the lawful
rights and interests of the complainant.

   Article 49. Where punishments are prescribed by other laws or regulations for the infringement upon the lawful rights and
interests of women in violation of the provisions of this Law, punishments prescribed in such laws or regulations shall
apply.

   Article 50. Anyone who commits any of the following infringements upon the lawful rights and interests of a woman shall
be ordered to make corrections by his or her unit or by an organ at a higher level, and the person who is held
directly responsible may, in light of the specific circumstances, be subjected to administrative sanctions:

(1) evading, delaying or suppressing the investigation and disposition of a complaint, a charge or an exposure
regarding an infringement upon the rights and interests of a woman;

(2) refusing to employ women or raising the employment standards for women where women shall be employed in accordance with
the provisions of relevant laws or regulations;

(3) infringing upon women’s rights and interests by violating the principle of equality between men and women in
such aspects as allotment of housing, promotion in post or in rank, evaluation and determination of professional and technological
post_titles;

(4) dismissing female staff and workers by reason of their marriage, pregnancy, maternity leave, or baby-nursing;

(5) infringing upon women’s rights and interests by violating the principle of equality between men and women in the
allotment of responsibility farmland or grain ration farmland or the approval of housing sites; or

(6) infringing upon women’s rights and interests by violating the principle of equality between men and women in
such aspects as starting school, entering a higher school, job assignment upon graduation, conferment of academic degrees
or dispatch for study abroad.

Anyone who retaliates against a person making a complaint, a charge or an exposure regarding an infringement upon a
woman’s rights and interests shall be ordered to make corrections or be subjected to administrative sanctions
by his or her unit or an organ at a higher level. If a state functionary commits retaliation, which constitutes a
crime, the offender shall be investigated for criminal responsibility in accordance with the provisions in Article 146
of the Criminal Law.

   Article 51. Anyone who employs or shelters any woman to engage in obscene activities with others shall be punished by applying
mutatis mutandis the provisions in Article 19 of the Regulations on Administrative Penalties for Public Security;
if the circumstances are so serious as to constitute a crime, the offender shall be investigated for criminal responsibility
by applying mutatis mutandis the provisions in Article 160 of the Criminal Law.

   Article 52. Where an infringement upon a woman’s lawful rights and interests causes loss of property or other damage, the infringer
shall make due compensation or bear other civil liabilities according to law.

CHAPTER IX SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS

   Article 53. Relevant departments under the State Council may, on the basis of this Law, formulate relevant regulations, which shall be
submitted to the State Council for approval and then be implemented.

The standing committees of the people’s congresses of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under
the Central Government may formulate measures for implementation on the basis of this Law.

The people’s congresses of national autonomous areas may formulate regulations with appropriate adaptations or
supplements in accordance with the principles laid down in this Law and in light of the specific conditions
of the national women in respective areas. Regulations formulated by autonomous regions shall be submitted
to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress for the record; regulations formulated by autonomous
prefectures or autonomous counties shall be submitted to the standing committees of the people’s congresses
of the relevant provinces or autonomous regions for approval before entering into effect, and shall also be submitted
to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress for the record.

   Article 54. This Law shall enter into force as of October 1, 1992.

    






CONSTITUTION ACT, 1982 – page 22

NOTES (1) The enacting clause was repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act, 1893, 56-57 Vict., c. 14 (U.K.). It read as...