Chapter I General Provisions 第一章 总则
Article 1 This Law is enacted for the purposes of regulating the organization and operation of
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companies, protecting the legitimate rights and interests of companies, shareholders and creditors, maintaining the socialist economic order, and promoting the development of the socialist market economy
第一条 【立法目的】为了规范公司的组织和行为，保护公司、股东和债权人的合法权益，维护社会经济秩序，促进社会主义市场经济的发展，制定本法。
Article 2 The term \stock company limited set up within the territory of the People's Republic of China according to the provisions of this Law.
第二条 【调整对象】本法所称公司是指依照本法在中国境内设立的有限责任公司和股份有限公司。
Article 3 A company is an enterprise legal person, which has independent legal person property and enjoys the right to legal person property. It shall bear the liabilities for its debts with all its property. For a limited liability company, a shareholder shall be liable for the company to the extent of the capital contributions it has paid. For a joint stock limited company, a shareholder shall be liable for the company to the extent of the shares it has subscribed to.
第三条 【公司的界定】公司是企业法人，有独立的法人财产，享有法人财产权。公司以其全部财产对公司的债务承担责任。
有限责任公司的股东以其认缴的出资额为限对公司承担责任；股份有限公司的股东以其认购的股份为限对公司承担责任。
Article 4 The shareholders of a company shall be entitled to enjoy the capital proceeds, participate in making important decisions, choose managers and enjoy other rights.
第四条 【股东权利】公司股东依法享有资产收益、参与重大决策和选择管理者等权利。
Article 5 When conducting business operations, a company shall comply with the laws and administrative regulations, social morality, and business morality. It shall act in good faith, accept the supervision of the government and general public, and bear social responsibilities.
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The legitimate rights and interests of a company shall be protected by laws and may not be trespassed.
第五条 【合法经营和合法权益受保护】公司从事经营活动，必须遵守法律、行政法规，遵守社会公德、商业道德，诚实守信，接受政府和社会公众的监督，承担社会责任。
公司的合法权益受法律保护，不受侵犯。
Article 6 To establish a company, an application for establishment registration shall be filed with the company registration authority. If the application meets the establishment requirements of this Law, the company registration authority shall register the company as a limited liability company or joint stock limited company. If the application does not meet the establishment requirements of this Law, it shall not be registered as a limited liability company or joint stock limited company.
If any law or administrative regulation provides that the establishment of a company shall be subject to approval, and relevant approval formalities shall be gone through prior to the registration of the company.
The general public may go to a company registration authority to search and consult the registration information filed by a company and the authority shall provide the research services for the public. 第六条 【公司设立的准则主义】设立公司，应当依法向公司登记机关申请设立登记。符合本法规定的设立条件的，由公司登记机关分别登记为有限责任公司或者股份有限公司；不符合本法规定的设立条件的，不得登记为有限责任公司或者股份有限公司。
法律、行政法规规定设立公司必须报经批准的，应当在公司登记前依法办理批准手续。
公众可以向公司登记机关申请查询公司登记事项，公司登记机关应当提供查询服务。
Article 7 For a lawfully established company, the company registration authority shall issue a company business license to the company. The date of issuance of the company business license shall be the date of establishment of the company. The company business license shall state the name, domicile, registered capital, actually paid capital, business scope, legal representative, etc. If any of the items as stated in the business license is changed, the company shall modify the registration and the company registration authority shall replace its old business license by a new one.
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第七条 【公司营业执照】依法设立的公司，由公司登记机关发给公司营业执照。公司营业执照签发日期为公司成立日期。
公司营业执照应当载明公司的名称、住所、注册资本、实收资本、经营范围、法定代表人姓名等事项。
公司营业执照记载的事项发生变更的，公司应当依法办理变更登记，由公司登记机关换发营业执照。
Article 8 A limited liability company established according to this Law shall include the words of \liability company\or \company\in its name. A joint stock limited company established according to this Law shall include words of \company\
第八条 【公司的名称】依照本法设立的有限责任公司，必须在公司名称中标明有限责任公司或者有限公司字样。
依照本法设立的股份有限公司，必须在公司名称中标明股份有限公司或者股份公司字样。
Article 9 A limited liability company to be changed into a joint stock limited company shall satisfy the requirements as prescribed in this Law for joint stock limited companies. A joint stock limited company to be changed into a limited liability company shall conform to the conditions as prescribed in this Law for limited liability companies. In either of the aforesaid cases, the creditor's rights and debts of the company prior to the change shall be succeeded by the company after the change. 第九条 【公司形式变更的准则主义与债权债务承继】有限责任公司变更为股份有限公司，应当符合本法规定的股份有限公司的条件。股份有限公司变更为有限责任公司，应当符合本法规定的有限责任公司的条件。
有限责任公司变更为股份有限公司的，或者股份有限公司变更为有限责任公司的，公司变更前的债权、债务由变更后的公司承继。
Article 10 A company shall regard its main office as its domicile. 第十条 【公司的住所】公司以其主要办事机构所在地为住所。
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Article 11 A company established according to this Law shall formulate its bylaw that are binding on the company, its shareholders, directors, supervisors and senior managers.
第十一条 【公司的章程】设立公司必须依法制定公司章程。公司章程对公司、股东、董事、监事、高级管理人员具有约束力。
Article 12 A company's business scope shall be defined in its bylaw and shall be registered according to law. The company may change its business scope by modifying its bylaw, but it shall go through the formalities for modifying the registration.
If the business scope a company covers any item subject to approval pursuant to any law or administrative regulation, approval shall be obtained according to the law.
第十二条 【公司的经营范围】公司的经营范围由公司章程规定，并依法登记。公司可以修改公司章程，改变经营范围，但是应当办理变更登记。
公司的经营范围中属于法律、行政法规规定须经批准的项目，应当依法经过批准。
Article 13 The legal representative of a company shall, be assumed by the chairman of the board of directors, acting director or manager according to the company's bylaw and shall be registered according to law. If the legal representative of the company is changed, the company shall go through the formalities for modifying the registration.
第十三条 【公司法定代表人】公司法定代表人依照公司章程的规定，由董事长、执行董事或者经理担任，并依法登记。公司法定代表人变更，应当办理变更登记。
Article 14 A company may set up branches. To set up a branch, the company shall file a registration application with the company registration authority and shall obtain a business license. A branch shall not enjoy the status of an enterprise legal person and its civil liabilities shall be born by its parent company.
A company may set up subsidiaries which enjoy the status of an enterprise legal person and shall be independently responsible for their own civil liabilities.
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新公司法中英文逐条对照版
