Rules of the Supreme Peoples Court on Some Issues Concerning the Trial on the Disputed Cases over the Contracts for Financial Leasing 最高人民法院审判委员会第793次会议讨论通过 Adopt Date: 27th May 1996 Effective Date: 27th May 1996 Issued b

Rules of the Supreme People's Court on Some Issues Concerning the Trial on the Disputed Cases over the Contracts for Financial Leasing
 
　最高人民法院审判委员会第793次会议讨论通过
　　    　Adopt Date: 27th May 1996　　Effective Date: 27th May 1996
　　Issued by: the Supreme People's Court at its 793rd Meeting of Judicial Committee
 
　　为正确审理融资租赁合同纠纷案件，保障当事人的合法权益，根据我国的有关法律规定和审判实践经验，特作如下规定：
In order to ensure the correct trial and judgment on the disputed cases over the contracts for financial leasing and protect the legal rights and interests of the litigants, and pursuant to the provisions of related laws of the People's Republic of China as well as on the basis of the experience gained in the trial practice, we hereby issue the following rules:
 
　　一、融资租赁合同纠纷案件的当事人应包括出租人、承租人。供货人是否需要列为当事人，由法院根据案件的具体情况决定。但供货合同中有仲裁条款的，则不应当将供货人列为当事人。
Article 1 The litigants of the disputed case over the contract for financial leasing shall include the leasor and the lessee. Whether the supplier must be one of the litigants or not shall be decided by the court according to the actual circumstances of the case. However, if arbitration clause is included in the contract, the supplier shall not be determined to be one of the litigants.
 
　　二、融资租赁合同中的承租人与租赁物的实际使用人不一致时，法院可以根据实际情况决定将实际使用人列为案件的当事人。
Article 2 When the lessee in the contract for financial leasing is not the user who actually uses the leased property, the court may determine the user to be one of the litigants in the case according to the related facts.
 
　　三、融资租赁合同纠纷案件的当事人，可以协议选择与争议有实际联系地点的法院管辖。当事人未选择管辖法院的，应由被告住所地或合同履行地法院管辖。租赁物的使用地为融资租赁合同的履行地。
Article 3 The litigants in the disputed case over the contract for financial leasing, may choose through negotiation the court in the place substantially associating to the controversy to have the jurisdiction over the case. If the litigants do not choose the court with jurisdiction, the court in the place of residence of the defendant or the place of the performance of the contract shall have the jurisdiction over the case. The place where the leased property is used shall be deemed to be the place of the performance of the contract for financial leasing.
 
　　四、涉外融资租赁合同纠纷案件的当事人可以协议选择处理合同争议所适用的法律；当事人没有选择的，适用承租人所在地的法律。
Article 4 The litigants in the disputed case for the contract for financial leasing relating to the foreign interests may choose through negotiation the law applicable to the dispute over the contract. If the litigants do not choose such law, the law in enforcement in the place of residence of the lessee shall be applicable to the case.
 
　　五、融资租赁合同所涉及的项目应当报经有关部门批准而未经批准的，应认定融资租赁合同不生效。
Article 5 If the items involved in the contract for financial leasing shall have been approved by the related authorities but actually have not been approved, such contract shall be held null and void.
 
　　六、有下列情形之一的，应认定融资租赁合同为无效合同：
Article 6 If one of the following circumstances exists, the contract for financial leasing shall be deemed to be invalid contract:
 
　　（一）出租人不具有从事融资租赁经营范围的；
　　(1) The leasor has no right to do business within the scope of financial leasing;
 
　　（二）承租人与供货人恶意串通，骗取出租人资金的；
　　(2) The lessee and supplier swindles the fund of the leasor through malicious collaboration;
 
　　（三）以融资租赁合同形式规避国家有关法律、法规的；
　　(3) The contract sidesteps the law and regulations of the State in the form of the contract for financial leasing; and
 
　　（四）依照有关法律、法规规定应认定为无效的。
　(4) The contracts that shall be deemed to be null and void in accordance with the related laws and regulations.
 
　　七、融资租赁合同被确定为无效后，应区分下列情形分别处理：
Article 7 The contract for financial leasing, after being deemed to be null and void, shall be handled respectively according to the following circumstances:
 
　　（一）因承租人的过错造成合同无效，出租人不要求返还租赁物的，租赁物可以不予返还，但承租人应赔偿因其过错给出租人造成的损失；
　(1) If the invalidity of the contract is caused due to the fault of the lessee, and the leasor do not claim for returning the leased property to it, the leased property may not be returned to the leasor, but the lessee shall make compensation for the damages caused to the leasor due to the faults of the lessee;
 
　　（二）因出租人的过错造成合同无效，承租人要求退还租赁物的，可以退还租赁物，如有损失，出租人应赔偿相应损失；
(2) If the invalidity of the contract is caused due to the fault of the leasor, and the lessee claims for returning the leased property to the leasor, the leased property may be returned to the leasor, and the leasor shall make compensation for the damages caused to the lessee due to the faults of the leasor, if any; and
 
　　（三）因出租人和承租人的共同过错造成合同无效的，可以返还租赁物，并根据过错大小各自承担相应的损失和赔偿责任。
　(3) If the invalidity of the contract is caused due to the faults of both the leasor and lessee, the leased property may be returned to its owner, and each party shall bear the responsibilities for compensating for the damages corresponding to its own faults.
 
　　租赁物正在继续使用且发挥效益的，对租赁物是否返还，可以协商解决；协商不成的，由法院根据实际情况作出判决。
If the leased property is in use currently and is producing economic benefits, the leasor and lessee may decide through negotiation whether the leased property shall be returned. If the negotiation fails, the court shall make a ruling based on the facts.
 
　　八、在《最高人民法院关于贯彻执行〈中华人民共和国民法通则〉若干问题的意见（试行）》中规定国家机关不能担任保证人之后，国家机关所作的保证应认定无效。因保证无效而给债权人造成损失的，提供保证的国家机关应当承担相应的赔偿责任。
Article 8 If the State's agencies act as guarantor after it was stipulated in the Opinions of the Supreme People's Court on Some Issues Concerning the Implementation of the General Principles of the Civil Law of the People's Republic of China (trial implementation), such guarantor shall be deemed null and void. If the invalidity of the guarantor has caused damages to the creditor, the State's agency that has provided the guarantee shall bear corresponding responsibility for compensation.
 
　　九、租赁物从境外购买的，融资租赁合同当事人约定用外币支付租金，应认定为有效。
Article 9 The leased property purchased from foreign countries and for which the litigants in the contract for financial leasing agreed in the contract to pay the rent in foreign currency, such contract shall be deemed valid.
 
　　十、在租赁合同履行完毕之前，承租人未经出租人同意，将租赁物进行抵押、转让、转租或投资入股，其行为无效，出租人有权收回租赁物，并要求承租人赔偿损失。因承租人的无效行为给第三人造成损失的，第三人有权要求承租人赔偿。
　Article 10 Before the completion of the performance of the contract for financial leasing, the lessee, without prior consent of the leasor, provides mortgage against the leased property, transfers or subleases it to others, or makes investment based on the leased property and holds shares in a venture, his acts shall be deemed null and void, and the leasor has right to take back the leased property and claim damages if any from the lessee. The third party has right to request the lessee to make compensation for damages caused to it.
 
　　十一、在融资租赁合同有效期间内，出租人非法干预承租人对租赁物的正常使用或者擅自取回租赁物，而造成承租人损失的，出租人应承担赔偿责任。
　Article 11 If the leasor illegally interferes in the normal use of the leased property by the lessee, or takes back the leased property without prior consent of the lessee, and such act has resulted in damage to the lessee, the leasor shall bear the responsibilities for compensation.
 
　　十二、在供货人有迟延交货或交付的租赁物质量、数量存在问题以及其他违反供货合同约定的行为时，对其进行索赔应区别不同情形予以处理：
　Article 12 If the supplier delayed in the delivery of the goods, or the quality or quantities of the delivered goods is not in accordance with the agreement, or other acts in breach of the supply contract, the claims for the damage shall be handled in consideration of the following different circumstances:
 
　　（一）供货合同或租赁合同中未约定转让索赔权的，对供货人的索赔应由出租人享有和行使，承租人应提供有关证据；
　(1) For the supply contract or lease contract where the transfer of claim is stipulated, the leasor shall enjoy and exercise the claim right, and the lessee shall provide necessary evidences; and
 
　　（二）在供货合同和租赁合同中均约定转让索赔权的，应由承租人直接向供货人索赔。
　(2) If the transfer of claim is stipulated in the supply contract or lease contract, the lessee shall directly lodges claim to the supplier.
 
　　十三、有下列情形之一的，当租赁物质量、数量等存在问题，在对供货人索赔不着或不足时，出租人应承担赔偿责任：
Article 13 Where one of the following circumstances exists, the leasor shall bear the responsibilities for compensation when the lessee is unable to lodge claim to the supplier or the compensation provided by the supplier is insufficient for the damage caused due to the quantity or quality of the leased property:
 
　　（一）出租人根据租赁合同的约定完全是利用自己的技能和判断为承租人选择供货人或租赁物的；
　(1) According to the lease contract, the leasor has selected the supplier or leased property completely based on its own knowledge and judgement for the lessee;
 
　　（二）出租人为承租人指定供货人或租赁物的；
　　(2) The leasor has appointed the supplier or leased property; and
 
　　（三）出租人擅自变更承租人已选定的供货人或租赁物的。
　(3) The leasor, not subject to the approval of the lessee, has changed the supplier or leased property chosen by the lessee;
 
　　除上列情形外，出租人对租赁物的质量、数量等问题一般不承担责任。
Save as stated in the above, the leasor shall generally not bear any responsibilities for the quantity or quality of the leased property.
 
　　十四、在出租人无过错的情形下，对供货人索赔的费用和结果，均由承租人承担和享有。如因出租人的过错造成索赔逾期或索赔不着，出租人应承担相应的责任。
　Article 14 Where the lessee has no faults, the cost incurred and the result produced in the claim against the supplier shall be respectively born and enjoyed by the lessee. If the non-claim or overdue claim is caused due to the faults of the leasor, the leasor shall bear the corresponding responsibility.
 
　　十五、因租赁物的质量、数量等问题对供货人索赔，如出租人无过错，不影响出租人向承租人行使收取租金的权利。
Article 15 Where claim is lodged against the supplier for the quality or quantity, and the leasor has not any faults, the exercise of the right of the leasor to collect the rent to the lessee shall not be affected.
 
　　十六、承租人未按合同约定支付部分或全部租金，属违约行为，承租人应按合同约定支付租金、逾期利息，并赔偿出租人相应的损失。
　Article 16 Where lessee has not paid the partial or whole rent as agreed in the contract, such acts shall be deemed illegal and the lessee shall pay the rent according to the contract, overdue interests and make compensation for the damage to the leasor accordingly.
 
　　十七、在承租人破产时，出租人可以将租赁物收回；也可以申请受理破产案件的法院拍卖租赁物，将拍卖所得款用以清偿承租人所欠出租人的债务。租赁物价值大于出租人债权的，其超出部分应退还承租人；租赁物价值小于出租人债权的，其未受清偿的债权应作为一般债权参加破产清偿程序，或者要求承租人的保证人清偿。
Article 17 Where the lessee goes bankrupt, the leasor may take back the leased property, or request the court that accept the bankruptcy case to auction the leased property, and apply the incomes from the auction for repayment of the debts of the lessee due to the leasor. Where the value of the leased property is greater than the credit of the leasor, the amount above the credit shall be returned to the lessee. Where the value of the leased property is less than the credit, the part of the debt that is not repaid, shall enter the liquidation procedure as general credit or shall be paid off by the guarantor of the lessee.
 
　　十八、在承租人破产时，出租人可以作为破产债权人申报债权，参加破产程序；出租人的债权有第三人提供保证的，出租人也可以要求保证人履行保证责任。
　Article 18 Where the lessee goes bankrupt, the leasor may, as the creditor for the bankruptcy, declares its credit, and participate into the bankruptcy. Where a third party has provided security for the credit of the leasor, the leasor also may request the guarantor to perform his obligations as a guarantor.
 
 
　　十九、出租人在参加承租人破产清偿后，其债权未能全部受偿的，可就不足部分向保证人追偿。
Article 19 If the credit of the leasor is not satisfied completely, the leasor may request the guarantor to pay off the shortfalls.
 
　　二十、出租人决定不参加承租人破产程序的，应及时通知承租人的保证人，保证人可以就保证债务的数额申报债权参加破产分配。
　Article 20 Where the leasor has decided not to participate in the bankruptcy procedure, he shall inform the guarantor of the lessee in time, and the guarantor may declare his credit equal to the amount of the debt under his guarantee and participate in the distribution of the insolvent properties.
 
　　二十一、融资租赁合同当事人请求法院保护其权利的诉讼时效应适用《中华人民共和国民法通则》第一百三十五条的规定。
　　Article 21 The limitation of action for the litigants in the contract for financial leasing to request the court to protect the rights thereof shall be governed by the provisions of Article 135 of the General Principles of the Civil Law of the People's Republic of China