International Business Law
An Introduction to International Business Law 国际商法导论 I. The Concept and Sources of International Business Law国际商法的概念和渊源 I.1 Concept of the International Business Law: What is International Business Law? 国际商法的概念: 什么是国际商法？
International Business Law is the sum total of laws of regulating the various relationships between international business transaction and the business organizations. 国际商法是调整国际商事交易和商业组织的各种关系的法律规范的总和。
The regulating objects and ranges of international business law are broader than that of the traditional business law. 国际商法的调整对象和范围比传统的商法更为广泛。
The traditional business law mainly includes the contents of the business law of act, the company law(UK)/the law of corporation(USA), the law of bills, the law of maritime commerce, the law of insurance, etc.. 传统的商法主要包括商行为法、公司法、票据法、海商法、保险法等内容。
However, along with the expansion of the communicating scale of the current international economy and trade, and the variety and complication of business transaction, except with the huge development of the international sale of goods, there appear many new type practices of international business transaction and trade, such as the international transfer of technology, trade of industrial property and exclusive technology licensing, international investment, international cooperative production, international financing, international project contracting, international leasing, etc.. 但是，随着当代国际经济贸易交流规模的扩大和商事交易的多样化、复杂化，除了国际货物买卖有了巨大的发展以外，还出现了许多新型的国际商事交易和贸易做法，如国际技术转让、工业产权与专有技术许可贸易、国际投资、国际合作生产、国际融资、国际工程承包、国际租赁，等等。
These transactions have exceeded the regulating range of the traditional business laws. So they are called the international business transaction, and the laws that regulate these transactions are called the law of international transactions or the international business Law. 这些交易已超出了传统商法调整的范围，有人把他们称为国际商事交易，并把调整这些交易的法律统称为国际交易法或国际商法。
Its regulating range not only covers the international transactions of visible goods or cargo but also covers the various relationships that technology, capital and labor occur in the international flow. 其调整范围不仅包括有形商品、货物的国际交易，而且包括技术、资金和劳务在国际流动中所产生的各种关系.
Currently, the main bodies that engage in the international business transactions are basically business organizations such as companies and enterprises rather than countries. 现在，在国际上从事国际商事交易的主体基本上是公司、企业等商事组织而不是国家。 The transactions between them belong to the transactions that occur in the business organizations of the different countries rather than the transactions between the different countries. 它们之间的交易属于不同国家商事组织之间的交易，而不是不同国家之间的交易。
Therefore, in the concept of international business law, the word “international”does
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not mean“between the nations”but“transnational”. Hence, the international business law is called the transnational business law. 所以，在国际商法这一概念中，“国际”一词的含义并不是指“国家与国家之间”的意思，而是指“跨越国界”的意思。因此，有人也把国际商法称为跨越国界的商法。
1.2 The Constituent Parts of International Law: Where is the International Business Law? P.36
The distinctions between International Public Law and Private International Law mainly lie in the differences between regulating objects, that is, Private International Law is used to regulate the civil transnational relations between a natural person and a legal person while International Public Law is used to regulate the diplomatic, political and military relations between states. P.36
国际公法与国际私法的区别主要在于调整对象的差异：国际私法是调整自然人、法人之间的跨越一国地域范围的民事关系，而国际公法调整的是国家与国家之间的外交、政治、军事关系。
I.3 Two Major Legal Systems of the World
The Anglo-American Common Law System p.18 (Case Law) (based mainly on case law)
The Continental Law System p.20 (Statute/ Code) (based mainly on statute or code)
QUESTIONS:
1. What major differences are there between the Anglo-American Common Law System
and the Continental Law System?
2. What major differences are there between international public law and private
international law?
Words and Expressions: 1. sum total 总和
2. commercial transaction 商事交易 3. business law of act 商业行为法
4. the company law(UK)/the law of corporation(USA) 公司法 5. the law of bills 票据法
6. the law of maritime commerce 海商法 7. the law of insurance 保险法
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8. international transfer of technology 国际技术转让 9. industrial property 工业产权
10. trade of exclusive technology licensing 专有技术许可贸易 11. international investment 国际投资
12. international cooperative production 国际合作生产 13. international financing 国际融资
14. international project contracting 国际工程承包 15. international leasing 国际租赁 16. visible goods有形商品
17. transnational business law 跨越国界的商法 18. illustrate （用示例、图画等）说明、解释 19. socio-geographic perspective 社会地理学观点 20. cultural perspective 文化观点
21. political and economic perspective 政治及经济观点 22. history impacts on culture 历史影响文化 23. culture impacts on politics 文化影响政治 24. politics impacts on economy 政治影响经济 25. economy impacts on law 经济影响法律
Last chapter begins with an introduction of the historical development cause of international business law. Then, it illustrates the basic knowledge from the socio-geographic perspective, cultural perspective, political and economic perspective. It is worth stressing that there is a connection and an impact between each of them. That is, history impacts on culture, culture impacts on politics, politics impacts on economy, and economy impacts on law. They impacts on one another. In chapter one, we’ve also learned the two major law systems of the world: the Anglo-American Common Law System and the Continental Law System. Now, the questions!
Chapter Two 重要更正：p.37
Principles of International Law
In this Chapter, we study the international law system from such respects as the jurisdiction of the international law, sources of international law. In the authors’ view, international law is public when it works to define rights between nations, and it is private when it tries to sort out rights between persons who are separated by a border. (国际法在确定国与国之间的权利时是公性的，在确定不同国家的人之间的权利时是私性的。) Private international law is national law operating where a material-foreign element is present, and concerns itself with three major topics: civil jurisdiction, choices of forum and law, and the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments.（国际私法是国内法运作，即只要出示外国具体要件，就要从三个要点关注此要件即： 民事管辖，法庭和法律的选择，国外裁判的认可与执行。）p.37 Treaties and conventions, customary law, and jus cogens ( Latin,
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compelling law ) are the primary sources of international law, and are recognized as such by the International Court of Justice of the United Nations, along with judicial decisions of domestic judges and legal writers.（条约和公约、惯例法和强制法是国际法的主要来源，它们被联合国的国际审判法庭认可，也被国内法官和立法者认定。）p.39 These principles of sovereignty illustrate why one state will not blindly pursue the grievances of its own nationals that have been suffered at the hands of other states. （主权原则解释了为什么一个国家不会盲目跟随其在它国手中遭罪的其本国国民提出的申诉。）p. 45 The act-of-state doctrine works to provide foreign states an element of immunity from suit in domestic courts.（国家行为准则旨在向本国法庭诉讼中的外国当事方提供豁免要件。）p.47 Civil jurisdiction may exist over persons, property (and the persons with an interest in that property), or a combination of both.（民事管辖可以依个人对财产及个人在该财产中拥有的权益，或者两者的结合而存在。）p.56 Nationality is central to questions of citizenship, which is governed by each state’s national law. It is an essential prerequisite where an individual seeks diplomatic assistance from his or her government, or seeks to have that government advance his or her interests before an international organization.（国籍是公民身份的核心问题，由每一国的国内法管理，是个人从其政府寻求外交帮助或者要其政府在某个国际组织之前帮助维护其利益的起码的前提（不可或缺的先决条件）。P.57
Words and Expressions:
1. civil jurisdiction 民事管辖
2. public international law 国际公法 3. Private international law 国际私法 4. Treaties and conventions 条约和公约 5. customary law 习惯法
6. jus cogens ( Latin, compelling law ) 强制法 7. judicial decision 司法裁决，法院判决 8. sovereignty 主权
9. grievance 不满，不平，委屈，冤情，申诉 10. the act-of-state doctrine 国家行为准则 11. element of immunity 豁免要素 12. prerequisite 先决条件，前提 13. Nationality 国籍 14. citizenship 公民身份
15. essential prerequisite 起码的前提, 不可或缺的先决条件 16. diplomatic assistance 外交协助
17. revoi (来自法语) 送回，退还，发送回来。In Conflict of Laws, renvoi (from the French,
meaning \"send back\" or \"to return unopened\") p.69
Chapter Three
Public Organizations and International Agreements The United Nations
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The United Nations is an international organization founded in 1945 after the Second World War by 51 countries committed to maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations and promoting social progress, better living standards and human rights. (联合国是1945年第二次世界大战后成立的国际组织。当时共有51个国家承诺通过国际合作和集体安全来维护和平、发展国家间友好关系、促进社会进步、提高生活水平和保护人权。) Due to its unique international character, and the powers vested in its founding Charter, the Organization can take action on a wide range of issues, and provide a forum for its 192 Member States to express their views, through the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council and other bodies and committees. （由于其独特的国际性质，和其《宪章》赋予的权利，该组织可就广泛的问题采取行动，并通过大会，安全理事会，经济及社会理事会和其他机构和委员会，为其192个会员国提供一个论坛来表达他们的观点。）
The work of the United Nations reaches every corner of the globe. Although best known for peacekeeping, peacebuilding, conflict prevention and humanitarian assistance, there are many other ways the United Nations and its System (specialized agencies, funds and programmes) affect our lives and make the world a better place. （联合国工作的范围达到了地球每个角落。虽然联合国最著名的是维持和平，建设和平，预防冲突和人道主义援助，但是联合国及其系统组织（专门机构，基金和方案）还通过许多其他方式，影响着我们的生活并使世界变得更加美好。） The Organization works on a broad range of fundamental issues, from sustainable development, environment and refugees protection, disaster relief, counter terrorism, disarmament and non-proliferation, to promoting democracy, human rights, governance, economic and social development and international health, clearing landmines, expanding food production, and more, in order to achieve its goals and coordinate efforts for a safer world for this and future generations.（联合国工作范围广泛又具体，它包括可持续发展、环境和难民保护、救助灾民、打击恐怖主义、推动裁军和不扩散、促进民主、保护人权、治理政务、经济发展、社会发展，国际卫生、清除地雷、扩大粮食生产等。为了给当代和后代一个更安全的世界，联合国正在协调努力地去实现其目标）
Quick Facts about UN 有关联合国的简单数据
Membership: 192 Member States现有成员：192个国家 Established: 24 October 1945成立时间：1945年10月24日
Secretariat staffing as of 30 June 2009 (Secretary-General's report \"Composition of the Secretariat\" [A/64/352] ): about 40,000秘书处工作人员： 约40,000人 Current UN peacekeeping operations: 16 联合国目前的维和行动：16个
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Budget for 2008-2009: USD 4.171 billion (peacekeeping operations not included) 2009年经常预算：27.70亿美元 （不包括维和行动） Official languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish. 正式语文：阿拉伯文｜中文｜英文｜法文｜俄文｜西班牙文 Information about the UN in other languages用其它语语文查看有关联合国的信息 UN Observances - The first day approved by the UN General Assembly was United Nations Day, 24 October (by resolution 168 (II) of 31 October 1947). 联合国纪念活动：1947年10月31日，联合国大会通过第168(II)号决议，设立了第一个国际日——联合国日（10月24日）。 Specialized Agencies专门机构 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) 联合国粮食及农业组织（粮农组织） International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) 国际民用航空组织（民航组织） International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) 国际农业发展基金（农发基金） International Labour Organization (ILO) 国际劳工组织（劳工组织） International Maritime Organization (IMO) 国际海事组织（海事组织） International Monetary Fund (IMF) 国际货币基金组织（基金组织） International Telecommunication Union (ITU) 国际电信联盟（电信联盟） United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) 联合国教育、科学及文化组织（教科文组织） United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) 联合国工业发展组织（工发组织） Universal Postal Union (UPU) 万国邮政联盟 World Bank Group 世界银行集团 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) 国际复兴开发银行 International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) 国际投资争端解决中心 International Development Association (IDA) 国际开发协会 6
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International Finance Corporation (IFC) 国际金融公司 Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) 多边投资保证机构 World Health Organization (WHO) 世界卫生组织（世卫组织） World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) 世界知识产权组织（知识产权组织） World Meteorological Organization (WMO) 世界气象组织（气象组织） World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) 世界旅游组织 THE GATT AND WTO
关贸总协定（GATT）与世界贸易组织（WTO）
关贸总协定（GATT）: Generally, the GATT has two meanings, one refers to an international agreement, that is, the document regulating the international trade rules; another refers to the international organization supporting the international agreement. (关贸总协定（GATT）一般有两个含义：一是指国际协议，即规定国际贸易规则的文件；另外还指支撑上述国际协议的国际组织。)Though the GATT as an international organization does not exist, it has been replaced by the WTO. (关贸总协定作为国际组织已不存在，它已被世界贸易组织取代。) However, the GATT as the agreement still exists, yet not the main body of the
international trade rules, it has been amended and renewed. The renewed text is recalled the GATT 1997. (但是GATT作为协议现在仍然存在，但已不是国际贸易规则文件的主体，并已被修订更新。更新的GATT文本被称为GATT1997.) When the GATT was initiated after the World WarⅡ, the international business transactions were merely trade in goods. But from then on, the trade in services such as the communications, tourism, banking, insurance, telecommunications, transportations and consulting has been progressively developed. The trade in intellectual property such as inventions and designs has become more important. Currently, the trade in goods, services and intellectual property has
become the three major spheres that the international trade concerns. (在第二次世界大战后初创建时，国际商务仅是货物贸易。但从那时开始，交通、旅游、银行、保险、电信、运输、咨询等服务贸易逐渐发展。发明、设计等知识智力方面的贸易也变得更为重要。现在，货物、服务和知识产权已经成为国际贸易关注的三大领域。) Now, the GATT 1997, the document dealing with the trade of goods, GATS and TRIPS are called the three major documents of the WTO. (GATT 1997是处理货物贸易的协定文件，与GATS（服务贸易总协定）、TRIPS（知识产权总协定）并列为WTO的三大协定。) WHAT IS THE WTO? 世界贸易组织（WTO）
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The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. ﹙世界贸易组织（WTO）是当前世界上唯一处理政府间贸易规则的国际组织。﹚ It came into being in January1,1995. which is the successor to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) established after the Second World War. its multilateral trading system that was originally set up under GATT is well over 50 years old. GATT is now the WTO’s principal rule-book for trade in goods. WTO成立于1995年1月，但它的多边贸易体系规则是由GATT确立的，已存在半个世纪之久。 At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the world’s trading nations and ratified in their parliaments. ﹙WTO多边贸易体系的核心是经大多数世界贸易国家谈判并签署的WTO协议。﹚ The goal is to help producers of goods and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business. ﹙这些协议虽然由各国政府谈判和签署的，但其目的是帮助货物和服务的生产商、出口商和进口商从事商业活动。﹚The major function of WTO is to promote the globe liberalization of trade, to be the forum of the trade negotiation and to settle the trade disputes.﹙WTO的主要职能是推动全球贸易自由化、作为贸易谈判的论坛、解决贸易争端。﹚ Glossary
MFN (most-favoured-nation) tariff 最惠国待遇关税
Normal non-discriminatory tariff charged on imports (excludes preferential tariffs under free trade agreements and other schemes or tariffs charged inside quotas). National treatment 国民待遇
The principle of giving others the same treatment as one’s own nationals. GATT Article 3 requires that imports be treated no less favourably than the same or similar
domestically-produced goods once they have passed customs. GATS Article 17 and TRIPS Article 3 also deal with national treatment for services and intellectual property protection. Dumping 倾销
Occurs when goods are exported at a price less than their normal value, generally meaning they are exported for less than they are sold in the domestic market or third-country markets, or at less than production cost. Anti-dumping duties 反倾销关税
GATT’s Article 6 allows anti-dumping duties to be imposed on goods that are deemed to be dumped and causing injury to producers of competing products in the importing country. These duties are equal to the difference between the goods’ export price and their normal value, if dumping causes injury. GATS服务贸易总协定
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The WTO’s General Agreement on Trade in Services. TRIPS知识产权总协定
Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (note capital “S”).
PART 2
INERNATIONAL BUSINESS LAW TRANSACTIONS
The Essential Elements of a Valid Contract 有效合同的基本要件
A valid and enforceable contract must be formed on the following basis: ﹙一项有效的和可强制执行的合同必须建立在以下基础之上：﹚
1. There must be an offer and acceptance: the agreement. ﹙必须有要约和承诺，即协议。﹚ 2. There must be consideration (unless the agreement is under seal). ﹙必须有约因，除非加盖
印鉴。﹚
3. Certain types of agreement are only valid if made in a particular form, e.g. in writing. ﹙某些
类型的协议仅在以特别形式作成时方有效，如以书面形式作成。﹚
4. The contracting parties must have the intention to create legal relations. ﹙缔约方必须有建
立法律关系的意向。﹚
5. The parties must have the appropriate capacity to contract. ﹙当事人必须有适当的签约能
力。﹚
6. There must be genuine consent by the parties to the terms of contract. ﹙当事人对合同条款
的意思表示必须真实一致。﹚
7. The contract must not have been concluded as a result of undue influence, duress or
misrepresentation. ﹙合同的缔结不得是不当影响、胁迫和虚伪陈述的结果。﹚
8. The contract must not contradict public policy or be otherwise illegal. ﹙合同不得与公共政
策相抵触，否则违法。﹚
9. The contract must be capable of being performed. ﹙合同必须是可履行的。﹚
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