合同法解釋一全文中英雙語版

合同法實施以後成立的合同發生糾紛起訴到人民法院的，適用合同法的規定;合同法實施以前成立的合同發生糾紛起訴到人民法院的，除本解釋另有規定的以外，適用當時的法律規定，當時沒有法律規定的，可以適用合同法的有關規定。中英雙語版的最高人民法院關於適用《中華人民共和國合同法》若干問題的解釋(一)內容如下：

最高人民法院關於適用《中華人民共和國合同法》若干問題的解釋(一)

為了正確審理合同糾紛案件，根據《中華人民共和國合同法》(以下簡稱合同法)的規定，對人民法院適用合同法的有關問題作出如下解釋：

一、法律適用範圍

第一條合同法實施以後成立的合同發生糾紛起訴到人民法院的，適用合同法的規定;合同法實施以前成立的合同發生糾紛起訴到人民法院的，除本解釋另有規定的以外，適用當時的法律規定，當時沒有法律規定的，可以適用合同法的有關規定。

第二條合同成立於合同法實施之前，但合同約定的履行期限跨越合同法實施之日或者履行期限在合同法實施之後，因履行合同發生的糾紛，適用合同法第四章的有關規定。

第三條人民法院確認合同效力時，對合同法實施以前成立的合同，適用當時的法律合同無效而適用合同法合同有效的，則適用合同法。

第四條合同法實施以後，人民法院確認合同無效，應當以全國人大及其常委會制定的法律和國務院制定的行政法規為依據，不得以地方性法規、行政規章為依據。

第五條人民法院對合同法實施以前已經作出終審裁決的案件進行再審，不適用合同法。

二、訴訟時效

第六條技術合同爭議當事人的權利受到侵害的事實發生在合同法實施之前，自當事人知道或者應當知道其權利受到侵害之日起至合同法實施之日超過一年的，人民法院不予保護;尚未超過一年的，其提起訴訟的時效期間為二年。

第七條技術進出口合同爭議當事人的權利受到侵害的事實發生在合同法實施之前，自當事人知道或者應當知道其權利受到侵害之日起至合同法施行之日超過二年的，人民法院不予保護;尚未超過二年的，其提起訴訟的時效期間為四年。

第八條合同法第五十五條規定的“一年”、第七十五條和第一百零四條第二款規定的“五年”為不變期間，不適用訴訟時效中止、中斷或者延長的規定。

三、合同效力

第九條依照合同法第四十四條第二款的規定，法律、行政法規規定合同應當辦理批准手續，或者辦理批准、登記等手續才生效，在一審法庭辯論終結前當事人仍未辦理批准手續的，或者仍未辦理批准、登記等手續的，人民法院應當認定該合同未生效;法律、行政法規規定合同應當辦理登記手續，但未規定登記後生效的，當事人未辦理登記手續不影響合同的效力，合同標的物所有權及其他物權不能轉移。

合同法第七十七條第二款、第八十七條、第九十六條第二款所列合同變更、轉讓、解除等情形，依照前款規定處理。

第十條當事人超越經營範圍訂立合同，人民法院不因此認定合同無效。但違反國家限制經營、特許經營以及法律、行政法規禁止經營規定的除外。

四、代位權

第十一條債權人依照合同法第七十三條的規定提起代位權訴訟，應當符合下列條件：

(一)債權人對債務人的債權合法;

(二)債務人怠於行使其到期債權，對債權人造成損害;

(三)債務人的債權已到期;

(四)債務人的債權不是專屬於債務人自身的債權。

第十二條合同法第七十三條第一款規定的專屬於債務人自身的債權，是指基於扶養關係、撫養關係、贍養關係、繼承關係產生的給付請求權和勞動報酬、退休金、養老金、撫卹金、安置費、人壽保險、人身傷害賠償請求權等權利。

第十三條合同法第七十三條規定的“債務人怠於行使其到期債權，對債權人造成損害的”，是指債務人不履行其對債權人的到期債務，又不以訴訟方式或者仲裁方式向其債務人主張其享有的具有金錢給付內容的到期債權，致使債權人的到期債權未能實現。

次債務人(即債務人的債務人)不認為債務人有怠於行使其到期債權情況的，應當承擔舉證責任。

第十四條債權人依照合同法第七十三條的規定提起代位權訴訟的，由被告住所地人民法院管轄。

第十五條債權人向人民法院起訴債務人以後，又向同一人民法院對次債務人提起代位權訴訟，符合本解釋第十三條的規定和《中華人民共和國民事訴訟法》第一百零八條規定的起訴條件的，應當立案受理;不符合本解釋第十三條規定的，告知債權人向次債務人住所地人民法院另行起訴。

受理代位權訴訟的人民法院在債權人起訴債務人的訴訟裁決發生法律效力以前，應當依照《中華人民共和國民事訴訟法》第一百三十六條第(五)項的規定中止代位權訴訟。

第十六條債權人以次債務人為被告向人民法院提起代位權訴訟，未將債務人列為第三人的，人民法院可以追加債務人為第三人。

兩個或者兩個以上債權人以同一次債務人為被告提起代位權訴訟的，人民法院可以合併審理。

第十七條在代位權訴訟中，債權人請求人民法院對次債務人的財產採取保全措施的，應當提供相應的財產擔保。

第十八條在代位權訴訟中，次債務人對債務人的抗辯，可以向債權人主張。

債務人在代位權訴訟中對債權人的債權提出異議，經審查異議成立的，人民法院應當裁定駁回債權人的起訴。

第十九條在代位權訴訟中，債權人勝訴的，訴訟費由次債務人負擔，從實現的債權中優先支付。

第二十條債權人向次債務人提起的代位權訴訟經人民法院審理後認定代位權成立的，由次債務人向債權人履行清償義務，債權人與債務人、債務人與次債務人之間相應的債權債務關係即予消滅。

第二十一條在代位權訴訟中，債權人行使代位權的請求數額超過債務人所負債務額或者超過次債務人對債務人所負債務額的.，對超出部分人民法院不予支持。

第二十二條債務人在代位權訴訟中，對超過債權人代位請求數額的債權部分起訴次債務人的，人民法院應當告知其向有管轄權的人民法院另行起訴。

債務人的起訴符合法定條件的，人民法院應當受理;受理債務人起訴的人民法院在代位權訴訟裁決發生法律效力以前，應當依法中止。

五、撤銷權

第二十三條債權人依照合同法第七十四條的規定提起撤銷權訴訟的，由被告住所地人民法院管轄。

第二十四條債權人依照合同法第七十四條的規定提起撤銷權訴訟時只以債務人為被告，未將受益人或者受讓人列為第三人的，人民法院可以追加該受益人或者受讓人為第三人。

第二十五條債權人依照合同法第七十四條的規定提起撤銷權訴訟，請求人民法院撤銷債務人放棄債權或轉讓財產的行為，人民法院應當就債權人主張的部分進行審理，依法撤銷的，該行為自始無效。

兩個或者兩個以上債權人以同一債務人為被告，就同一標的提起撤銷權訴訟的，人民法院可以合併審理。

第二十六條債權人行使撤銷權所支付的律師代理費、差旅費等必要費用，由債務人負擔;第三人有過錯的，應當適當分擔。

六、合同轉讓中的第三人

第二十七條債權人轉讓合同權利後，債務人與受讓人之間因履行合同發生糾紛訴至人民法院，債務人對債權人的權利提出抗辯的，可以將債權人列為第三人。

第二十八條經債權人同意，債務人轉移合同義務後，受讓人與債權人之間因履行合同發生糾紛訴至人民法院，受讓人就債務人對債權人的權利提出抗辯的，可以將債務人列為第三人。

第二十九條合同當事人一方經對方同意將其在合同中的權利義務一併轉讓給受讓人，對方與受讓人因履行合同發生糾紛訴至人民法院，對方就合同權利義務提出抗辯的，可以將出讓方列為第三人。

七、請求權競合

第三十條債權人依照合同法第一百二十二條的規定向人民法院起訴時作出選擇後，在一審開庭以前又變更訴訟請求的，人民法院應當准許。對方當事人提出管轄權異議，經審查異議成立的，人民法院應當駁回起訴。

Interpretations the Supreme People's Court of Certain Issues Concerning the Application of the Contract Law of the People's Republic of China(part One)

Pursuant to The Contract Law of the People's Republic of China (hereinafter the "Contract Law"), and with a view to facilitating the proper adjudication of contractual disputes, we hereby promulgate the following interpretations of certain issues concerning the application of the Contract Law by People's Courts:

I. Scope of Application of the Law

Article 1Where a suit is brought to a People's Court in respect of a dispute arising out of a contract formed after the operative date of the Contract Law, the provisions of the Contract Law shall apply; where a suit is brought to a People's Court in respect of a dispute concerning a contract formed before the operative date of the Contract Law, except otherwise provided herein, the provisions of the law in effect at the time shall apply, provided that if the law in effect at the time did not provide for such matter, the relevant provision of the Contract Law may apply.

Article 2Where a contract was formed before the operative date of the Contract Law, but the prescribed time limit for performance extends beyond, or commences after, the operative date of the Contract Law, if a dispute arises out of its performance, the relevant provisions of Chapter Four of the Contract Law shall apply.

Article 3In determining the validity of a contract formed before the operative date of the Contract Law, if application of the law in effect at the time leads to its invalidation, but application of the Contract Law leads to affirmation of its validity, the People's Court shall apply the Contract Law.

Article 4After the Contract Law became operative, a People's Court may only invalidate a contract in accordance with laws adopted by the National People's Congress or its Standing Committee, or administrative regulations adopted by the State Council, and may not invalidate a contract in accordance with any local statutes or administrative rules.

Article 5Where a People's Court re-adjudicates a case on which a final judgment has been rendered, the Contract Law does not apply.

II. Time Limit for Action

Article 6In a dispute arising out of a technology contract, where infringement of the right of a party occurred before the operative date of the Contract Law, if there was a lapse of more than one year between the date on which the party knew or should have known that its right was infringed and the operative date of the Contract Law, the People's Court will no longer enforce such right; where the lapse was less than one year, the time limit during which the party may bring a suit shall be two years.

Article 7In a dispute arising out of a technology import/export contract, where infringement of the right of a party occurred before the operative date of the Contract Law, if there was a lapse of more than two years between the date on which the party knew or should have known that its right was infringed and the operative date of the Contract Law, the People's Court will no longer enforce such right; where the lapse was less than two years, the time limit during which the party may bring a suit shall be four years.

Article 8The time period of "one year" set out in Article 55, and the time period of "five years" set out in Article 75 and Paragraph 2 of Article 104 of the Contract Law are fixed, and are not subject to the rules governing the suspension, termination or extension of time limit for action.

III. Validity of Contracts

Article 9Where as set forth in Paragraph 2 of Article 44 of the Contract Law, the relevant law or administration regulation provides that the effectiveness of a certain contract is subject to completion of the relevant approval procedure, or the relevant approval and registration procedures, if before completion of court debate by the parties in the trial of first instance, the parties still fail to carry out the relevant approval procedure, or approval and registration procedures, as the case may be, the People's Court shall rule that the contract has not yet taken effect; if the relevant law or administration regulation requires that a certain contract be registered without subjecting its effectiveness to such registration, then failure to effect registration shall not impair the effectiveness of the contract, provided that such failure constitutes an impediment to the conveyance of title to, or such other real right in, the subject matter of the contract.

In the case of amendment, assignment or termination of a contract as set forth in Paragraph 2 of Article 77, Article 87, and Paragraph 2 of Article 96 of the Contract Law, the provisions of the previous Paragraph apply.

Article 10Where the parties entered into a contract the subject matter of which was outside their scope of business, the People's Court shall not invalidate the contract on such ground, except where conclusion of the contract was in violation of state restriction concerning, or licensing requirement for, a particular business sector, or in violation of any law or administrative regulation prohibiting the parties from participation in a particular business sector.

IV. Subrogation

Article 11Where an obligee is to bring a suit of subrogation pursuant to Article 73 of the Contract Law, the following conditions shall be met:

(1)The obligee's creditor's right against the obligor is lawful;

(2)The obligor's delay in exercising the creditor's right due to it has caused harm to the obligee;

(3)The creditor's right of the obligor is due;

(4)The creditor's right of the obligor is not exclusively personal to it.

Article 12As referred to in Paragraph 1 of Article 73, a creditor's right exclusively personal to the obligor means a claim for alimony, child support, parental support or succession, or, a claim for wage, retirement pension, old age pension, death benefits, relocation allowance or life insurance, or, a personal injury claim.

Article 13The article "Where the obligor delayed in exercising its creditor's right against a third person that was due, thereby harming the obligee" in Article 73 of the Contract Law refers to the following circumstance: The obligor fails to render performance which is due to the obligee, and further, it has failed to enforce a creditor's right which is due to it and which involves the payment of money against an obligor either through a suit in court or through arbitration, thereby frustrating the obligee's realization of the creditor's right due to it.

Where the secondary obligor (i.e. the obligor of the original obligor) denies that the obligor has delayed in exercising its creditor's right due to it, the secondary obligor bears the burden of proof.

Article 14Where an obligee brings a suit of subrogation pursuant to Article 73 of the Contract Law, jurisdiction shall vest in the People's Court in the place where the defendant is domiciled.

Article 15Where after bringing a suit against an obligor to a People's Court, an obligee brings a suit of subrogation against a secondary obligor to the same court, if such suit complies with the provisions of Article 13 hereof as well as the conditions for bringing a suit set forth in Article 108 of the Civil Procedural Law of the People's Republic of China, the court shall accept such suit; where such suit does not comply with Article 13 hereof, the court shall direct the obligee to bring a separate suit to the People's Court in the place where the secondary obligor is domiciled.

Before judgment on the suit brought by the obligee against the obligor takes legal effect, the People's Court adjudicating the suit of subrogation against the secondary obligor shall stay such suit in accordance with Item (5) of Article 136 of the Civil Procedural Law of the People's Republic of China.

Article 16Where in a suit of subrogation brought to a People's Court, an obligee names only the secondary obligor as the defendant without also naming the original obligor as an interested third person, the People's Court may add the original obligor as an interested third person.

Where in suits of subrogation brought separately by two or more obligees, the same secondary obligor is named as the defendant, the People's Court may combine the suits for adjudication.

Article 17In a suit of subrogation, if the obligee petitions the People's Court for preservative measure against the assets of the secondary obligor, it shall provide appropriate financial assurance.

Article 18In a suit of subrogation, the secondary obligor may, in respect of the obligee, avail itself of any defense it has against the original obligor. In a suit of subrogation, where the obligor raises a defense against the obligee's claim, if the People's Court affirms the defense, it shall dismiss the suit brought by the obligee.

Article 19In a suit of subrogation, if the obligee prevails, the court fee shall be borne by the secondary obligor, and shall be paid in priority out of the proceeds from the enforced creditor's right.

Article 20Where an obligee brings a suit of subrogation against a secondary obligor, and the People's Court affirms the subrogation, the secondary obligor shall perform the payment obligation, whereupon the respective obligee-obligor relationships between the obligee and the obligor, and between the obligor and the secondary obligor, are discharged accordingly.

Article 21In a suit of subrogation, where the amount in subrogation claimed by the obligee exceeds the amount owed by the obligor or the amount owed to the obligor by the secondary obligor, the People's Court shall not enforce the claim to the extent the claimed amount exceeds the actual amount.

Article 22In a suit of subrogation, if the obligor also brings a claim against the secondary obligor for the difference between the amount owed to it and the amount in subrogation claimed by the obligee, the People's Court shall direct the obligor to bring a separate suit to the People's Court with the proper jurisdiction.

Where such suit brought separately by the obligor meets the legally prescribed conditions, the People's Court shall accept such suit; the People's Court accepting the suit brought by the obligor shall stay such suit in accordance with the law pending the legal effectiveness of the judgment on the suit of subrogation.

V. Cancellation Right

Article 23Where an obligee brings a suit to enforce its cancellation right pursuant to Article 74 of the Contract Law, jurisdiction shall vest in the People's Court in the place where the defendant is domiciled.

Article 24If in a suit to enforce its cancellation right pursuant to Article 74 of the Contract Law, the obligee only names the obligor as the defendant without also naming the beneficiary or the assignee as an interested third person, the People's Court may add such beneficiary or assignee as an interested third person.

Article 25Where an obligee brings a suit to enforce its cancellation right pursuant to Article 74 of the Contract Law and petitions the People's Court for cancellation of the obligor's act of waiving its creditor's right or transferring its property, the People's Court shall adjudicate the case to the extent of the amount claimed by the obligee, and if the obligor's act is canceled in accordance with the law, such act is of no effect.

Where suits on the same subject matter are filed separately by two or more obligees to enforce their respective cancellation rights, and the same obligor is named as the defendant, the People's Court may combine the suits for adjudication.

Article 26The necessary expenses incurred by the obligee in enforcing its cancellation right, such as attorney's fee and travel expenses, shall be borne by the obligor; where the interested third person was also at fault, it shall share such expenses as appropriate.

VI. Interested Third Person in Case of Assignment of Contracts

Article 27If subsequent to the obligee's assignment of its contractual right, a suit is brought to a People's Court in respect of a dispute between the obligor and the assignee which arose from the performance of the contract, and the obligor raises a defense against the contractual right of the obligee, it may name the obligee as an interested third person.

Article 28If with the consent of the obligee, the obligor has delegated its contractual obligation, and subsequently a suit is brought to a People's Court in respect of a dispute between the obligee and the delegatee which arose from the performance of the contract, and the delegatee, in defense against the obligee, avails itself of the obligor's right against the obligee, it may name the obligor as an interested third person.

Article 29If with the consent of the other party, a party concurrently assigned its contractual rights and delegated its contractual obligations to an assignee, and subsequently a suit is brought to a People's Court in respect of a dispute between the other party and the assignee which arose from the performance of the contract, and the other party raises a defense in respect of the rights and obligations under the contract, it may name the obligor as an interested third person.

VII. Merger of Claims

Article 30Where at the time the obligee brought a suit to a People's Court, it made an election of claim in accordance with Article 122 of the Contract Law, and subsequently it changes its election, if the change is made before the commencement of hearing in the trial of first instance, the People's Court shall allow such change. In the event the other party objects to the jurisdiction of the court and such objection is sustained, the People's Court shall dismiss such suit.