e03527,e04457
The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress Order of the President of the People’s Republic of China No.29 “Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress Regarding the Revision of Company Law of the People’s Republic President of the People’s Republic of China: Jiang Zemin December 25, 1999 Company Law of the People’s Republic of China ContentChapter I General Provisions Chapter II Establishment and Organizational Structure of Limited Liability Companies Section 1 Establishment Section 2 Organizational Structure Section 3 Wholly State-owned Companies Chapter III Establishment and Organizational Structure of Joint Stock Limited Companies Section 1 Establishment Section 2 Shareholders’ General Meetings Section 3 Board of Directors, and Manager Section 4 Supervisory Board Chapter IV Issue and Transfer of Shares of Joint Stock Limited Companies Section 1 Issue of Shares Section 2 Transfer of Shares Section 3 Listed Companies Chapter V Company Bonds Chapter VI Financial Affairs and Accounting of Companies Chapter VII Merger and Division of Companies Chapter VIII Bankruptcy, Dissolution and Liquidation of Companies Chapter IX Branches of Foreign Companies Chapter X Legal Liability Chapter XI Supplementary Provisions Chapter I General Provisions Article 1 This Law is formulated in accordance with the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China in order to meet the needs of establishing Article 2 The term “company” mentioned in this Law refers to a limited liability company or a joint stock limited company incorporated within Article 3 A “limited liability company” or “joint stock limited company” is an enterprise legal person. In the case of a limited liability company, shareholders shall assume liability towards the company to the extent of their respective In the case of a joint stock limited company, its total capital shall be divided into equal shares, shareholders shall assume liability Article 4 The shareholders of a company shall, in their capacity of contributors of capital, enjoy such rights of owners as benefiting from A company shall enjoy the right to the entire property of the legal person formed by the investments of the shareholders and shall The ownership of State-owned assets in a company shall vest in the State. Article 5 A company shall, with all its legal person assets, operate independently and be responsible for its own profits and losses according A company shall, under the macro-adjustment and control of the State, organize its production and operation independently in accordance Article 6 An internal management mechanism shall be implemented within companies, which is characterized by clear definition of powers and responsibilities, Article 7 State-owned enterprises restructured to form companies must transform their operating mechanism, gradually produce an inventory of Article 8 Incorporation of limited liability companies or joint stock limited companies must meet the conditions stipulated by the present Law. Where laws or administrative rules and regulations provide that incorporation of companies must be subject to examination and approval, Article 9 A limited liability company established according to this Law must clearly indicate the words “limited liability company” in its name. A joint stock limited company established according to this Law must clearly indicate the words “joint stock limited company” in its Article 10 A company’s domicile shall be the place where its main administrative organization is located. Article 11 Articles of association must be formulated in accordance with this Law when a company is incorporated. A company’s articles of association A company’s scope of business shall be defined in its articles of association and registered in accordance with the law. Items within Companies shall engage in business activities within their registered scope of business. A company may change its scope of business Article 12 A company may invest in other limited liability companies or joint stock limited companies and shall assume liability towards the In case a company, other than an investment company or a holding company as specified by the State Council, invests in other limited Article 13 A company may establish branches, which shall not possess the status of enterprise legal persons and whose civil liabilities shall A company may establish subsidiaries, which shall possess the status of enterprise legal perons, and shall independently bear civil Article 14 A company must, when engaging in business activities, abide by the law, observe professional ethics, strengthen the construction of The legitimate rights and interests of companies shall be protected by the law and shall be inviolable. Article 15 Companies must protect the lawful rights and interests of their staff and workers, and strengthen labour protection so as to achieve Companies shall apply various forms to strengthen professional education and on-the-job training of their staff and workers so as Article 16 Company’s staff and workers shall, in accordance with the law, organize a trade union to carry out the trade union activities and Wholly State-owned companies and limited liability companies invested in and established by two or more State-owned enterprises or Article 17 The grass-root organizations of the Communist Party of China in companies shall carry out their activities in accordance with the Article 18 The present Law shall apply to limited liability companies with foreign investment. Where laws concerning Chinese-foreign equity joint Chapter II Establishment and Organizational Structure of Limited Liability Companies Section 1 Establishment Article 19 The following conditions must be fulfilled for the establishment of a limited liability company: (1) the number of shareholders conforms to the statutory number; (2) the capital contributions of the shareholders reach the statutory minimum amount of capital; (3) the shareholders have jointly formulated the articles of association of the company ; (4) the company has name and an organizational structure established in compliance with the requirements for a limited liability company; (5) there are fixed premises and necessary conditions for production and operation. Article 20 A limited liability company shall be jointly invested in and incorporated by not less than two and not more than fifty shareholders. State-authorized investment institutions or departments authorized by the State may independently invest in and establish wholly State-owned Article 21 If State-owned enterprises established prior to the implementation of this Law comply with the conditions stipulated in this Law for The implementation procedures and specific measures for restructuring State-owned enterprises as companies shall be formulated separately Article 22 The articles of association of limited liability companies shall specify the following particulars: (1) the name and domicile of the company; (2) the scope of business of the company; (3) the registered capital of the company; (4) the names or post_titles of the shareholders; (5) the rights and obligations of the shareholders; (6) the method and amount of capital contributions by the shareholders; (7) the conditions for transfer of capital contributions by shareholders; (8) the organization of the company, its method of creation, functions and powers and the rules of procedure; (9) the legal representative of the company; (10) the reasons for dissolution of the company and method of liquidation; and (11) other items which the shareholders deem necessary to be specified. The shareholders shall sign and affix their seals to the company’s articles of association. Article 23 The registered capital of a limited liability company shall be the amount of the paid-up capital contributions of all its shareholders The registered capital of a limited liability company shall be no less than the following minima: (1) RMB 500,000 yuan for a company engaged mainly in production and operation; (2) RMB 500,000 yuan for a company engaged mainly in commodity wholesale; (3) RMB 300,000 yuan for a company engaged mainly in commercial retailing; and (4) RMB 100,000 yuan for a company engaged in science and technology development, consultancy or services. Article 24 A shareholder may make its capital contributions to a company in currency or by contributing material objects, industrial property The investment in the form of industrial property rights and non-patented technology at their appraised value shall not exceed twenty Article 25 Each shareholder shall make in full the amount of the capital contribution subscribed for under the articles of association of the Shareholders failing to make the capital contributions they subscribed for in accordance with the preceding paragraph shall be liable Article 26 After all shareholders have made their capital contributions in full, such contributions must be verified by a statutory capital verification Article 27 After the total capital contributions of the shareholders have been verified by a statutory capital verification institution, application Where the examination and approval of the relevant authorities is required by the laws or administrative rules and regulations, the The Company Registration Authority shall grant registration and issue a business licence to a company that meets the requirements The date of the issuance of the company business license shall be the date of the establishment of a limited liability company. Article 28 Where, after the establishment of a limited liability company, it is discovered that the actual value of the material objects, industrial Article 29 Where branches are established simultaneously with the establishment of a limited liability company, application for registration Where a limited liability company establishes branches after its establishment, the company’s legal representative shall apply for Article 30 After a limited liability company has been incorporated, it shall issue capital contribution certificates to its shareholders. A capital contribution certificate shall specify the following items: (1) the name of the company; (2) the registration date of the company; (3) the registered capital of the company; (4) the name or post_title of the shareholder, the amount and date of its capital contribution; and (5) the serial number of the capital contribution certificate and the date of its verification and issuance. A capital contribution certificate shall bear the seal of the company on it. Article 31 A limited liability company shall prepare a roster of its shareholders with the following items therein: (1) the names or post_titles and domiciles of the shareholders; (2) the amounts of capital contributions of the shareholders; and (3) the serial numbers of the capital contribution certificates. Article 32 A shareholder shall have the right to look up the minutes of shareholders’ meetings and the financial and accounting reports of the Article 33 Shareholders shall draw dividends in proportion to their capital contributions. Where a company increases capital, the existing shareholders Article 34 Once a company is registered, its shareholders may not withdraw their capital contributions. Article 35 The shareholders of a company may assign among themselves all or part of their capital contributions. Where a shareholder intends to assign its capital contribution to persons who are not shareholders, the consent of over half of all Other shareholders shall, under identical terms, have priority in purchasing the capital contribution to be assigned with the consent Article 36 After a shareholder has assigned its capital contribution according to law, the company shall record the name or post_title and domicile Section 2 Organizational Structure Article 37 The shareholders’ meeting of a limited liability company shall be composed of all the shareholders. The shareholders’ meeting shall Article 38 The shareholders’ meeting shall exercise the following functions and powers: (1) to decide on the business policy and investment plan of the company; (2) to elect and recall members of the board of directors and to decide on matters concerning the remuneration of directors; (3) to elect and recall supervisors appointed from among the shareholders’ representatives, and to decide on matters concerning the remuneration (4) to examine and approve reports of the board of directors; (5) to examine and approve reports of the supervisory board or supervisors; (6) to examine and approve the annual financial budget plan and final accounts plan of the company; (7) to examine and approve plans for profit distribution of the company and plans for making up losses; (8) to adopt resolutions on the increase or reduction of the registered capital of the company; (9) to adopt resolutions on the issuance of company bonds; (10) to adopt resolutions on the assignment of capital contribution by a shareholder to a person other than the shareholders; (11) to adopt resolutions on matters such as the merger, division, transformation, dissolution and liquidation of the company; and (12) to amend the articles of association of the company. Article 39 The rules of deliberation and voting procedures of the shareholders’ meeting shall, except where provided for by this Law, be stipulated Resolutions of the shareholders’ meeting on the increase or reduction of the registered capital, the division, merger, dissolution, Article 40 A company may amend its articles of association. A resolution on the amendment of the articles of association must be adopted by shareholders Article 41 Shareholders shall exercise their voting rights at the shareholders’ meeting in proportion to their capital contributions. Article 42 The first meeting of the shareholders of a company shall be convened and presided over by the shareholder who has made the biggest Article 43 Shareholders’ meetings shall be divided into regular meetings and interim meetings. Regular shareholders’ meetings shall be convened on time as stipulated by the articles of association of the company. Interim shareholders’ Where a limited liability company has set up a board of directors, its shareholders’ meetings shall be convened by the board of directors Article 44 All shareholders shall be notified fifteen days prior to the convening of a shareholders’ meeting. The shareholders’ meeting shall keep minutes of their decisions on matters discussed at it; the shareholders present at the meeting Article 45 A limited liability company shall have a board of directors, which shall be composed of three to thirteen members. The members of the board of directors of a limited liability company invested in and established by two or more State-owned enterprises, A board of directors shall have a chairman and one or two vice-chairmen. The method for the creation of the chairman and vice-chairmen The chairman of the board of directors shall be the company’s legal representative. Article 46 The board of directors shall be responsible to the shareholders’ meeting, and exercise the following functions and powers: (1) to be responsible for convening shareholders’ meetings and to report on its work to the shareholders’ meetings; (2) to implement the resolutions of the shareholders’ meetings; (3) to decide on the business’s plans and investment plans of the company; (4) to formulate the annual financial budget plan and final accounts plan of the company; (5) to formulate plans for profit distribution and plans for making up losses of the company; (6) to formulate plans for the increase or reduction of the registered capital of the company; (7) to formulate plans for the merger, division, transformation and dissolution of the company; (8) to decide on the establishment of the company’s internal management organs; (9) to appoint or dismiss the company’s manager (general manager) (hereinafter referred to as “manager”), and, upon recommendation of (10) to formulate the basic management system of the company. Article 47 The term of office of directors shall be stipulated by the articles of association of the company but may not exceed three years. The shareholders’ meeting of a company may not unwarrantedly dismiss a director of the board prior to the expiration of his term of Article 48 Meetings of the board of directors shall be convened and presided over by the chairman of the board. Where special circumstances preclude Article 49 The rules of deliberation and voting procedures of the board of directors shall, except where provided for by this Law, be stipulated All directors shall be notified ten days prior to the convening of a board meeting. The board meeting shall keep minutes of decisions on matters discussed at it; directors present at the meeting shall sign the minutes. Article 50 A limited liability company shall have a manager, who shall be appointed or dismissed by the board of directors. The manager shall (1) to be in charge of the production, operation and management of the company, and to organize the implementation of the resolutions (2) to organize the implementation of the annual business plans and investment plans of the company; (3) to draw up plans on the establishment of the internal management organs of the company; (4) to draw up the basic management system of the company; (5) to formulate specific rules and regulations of the company; (6) to recommend the appointment or dismissal of the deputy manager(s) and of persons in charge of the financial affairs of the company; (7) to appoint or dismiss management personnel other than those to be appointed or dismissed by the board of directors; and (8) other functions and powers granted by the articles of association of the company and the board of directors. The manager shall attend meetings of the board of directors as a non-voting attendant. Article 51 Where a limited liability company has a small number of shareholders and is comparatively small in scale, it may have an executive The powers and functions of the executive director shall be stipulated by the articles of association of the company with reference Where a limited liability company does not have a board of directors, the executive director shall be the legal representative of Article 52 A limited liability company with a relatively large-scale business shall have a supervisory board composed of no less than three members. The supervisory board shall be composed of representatives of the shareholders and an appropriate proportion of the staff and workers Where a limited liability company has a small number of shareholders and is comparatively small in scale, it may have one or two supervisors. Directors, the manager or personnel in charge of financial affairs of the company may not concurrently serve as supervisors. Article 53 The term of office of a supervisor shall be three years. A supervisor may, if reelected upon expiration of his term of office, serve Article 54 The supervisory board or the supervisors shall exercise the following functions and powers: (1) to examine the financial affairs of the company; (2) to supervise the acts of the directors and the manager violating the laws, administrative rules and regulations or the articles of (3) to demand directors and the manager to make corrections if any of their acts is found to have damaged the interests of the company; (4) to propose the convening of interim shareholders’ meetings; and (5) other functions and powers as stipulated in the articles of association of the company. The supervisors shall attend meetings of the board of directors as non-voting participants. Article 55 A company shall, in studying and deciding on issues involving the personal interests of its staff and workers such as their salaries, Article 56 A company shall solicit the opinions and suggestions of the trade union and the staff and workers of the compa
MORE STORIES
|