Important Notice: (注意事项)
英文本源自中华人民共和国务院法制局编译, 中国法制出版社出版的《中华人民共和国涉外法规汇编》(1991年7月版).
当发生歧意时, 应以法律法规颁布单位发布的中文原文为准.
This English document is coming from the "LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF THE
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA GOVERNING FOREIGN-RELATED MATTERS" (1991.7)
which is compiled by the Brueau of Legislative Affairs of the State
Council of the People's Republic of China, and is published by the China
Legal System Publishing House.
In case of discrepancy, the original version in Chinese shall prevail.
Whole Document (法规全文)
MEASURES FOR CONTROL OVER IMPORTED FILMS
(Approved by the State Council on October 13, 1981 and promulgated
by the Ministry of Culture and the General Administration of Customs)
Article 1
These Measures are formulated for tighter control over imported films in
accordance with the spirit of the Circular Concerning Checking the
Excessive Showing of Films for Restricted Information Only, which was
issued by the State Council of the People's Republic of China and the
Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China on April 14,
1980.
Article 2
The business of importing and releasing films or copies for preview
(including 35-mm, 16-mm and extra-8-mm films, films on video-tapes and
films on videodiscs, which are hereinafter generally referred to as
"films") from foreign countries and the regions of Hong Kong and Macao
shall be exclusively handled and controlled by the China National Films
Release and Projection Corporation (hereinafter referred to as "the China
Films Corporation").
With respect to the import of a film, the Customs shall, on the strength
of the Customs Declaration Form for Imported Goods duly completed and
presented by the China Films Corporation, effect inspection and grant
clearance. With respect to films to be released nationwide for commercial
purposes, formalities to pay Customs duties shall be fulfilled at the time
of the import thereof. Films to be imported for noncommercial purposes
shall be exempted from Customs duties. If, upon approval, films imported
for noncommercial purposes are to be released nationwide after the import
thereof, the China Films Corporation shall, in accordance with the
relevant regulations, fulfil the formalities with the Beijing Customs for
retroactive payment of Customs duties.
Article 3
With respect to data films imported by the China Cinematheque (including
films selected and purchased from each other by, or exchanged between, or
given to each other as presents by the China Cinematheque and foreign
cinematheques and films purchased through other channels as data), if they
are imported for noncommercial purposes, the Customs shall, on the
strength of the Customs Declaration Form for Imported Goods duly completed
and presented by the China Cinematheque, effect inspection and grant
clearance without levying duties.
If, upon approval, imported data films need to be released nationwide, the
China Films Corporation shall, in accordance with the relevant
regulations, fulfil the formalities with the Beijing Customs for
retroactive payment of Customs duties.
Article 4
With respect to specialized documentaries and science and educational
films imported by units of science and technology, industry, agriculture,
education, public health, journalism, foreign trade and foreign affairs to
meet the needs in their business or professional work, if the importing
units are affiliated to departments under the State Council, the import
shall be subject to the examination and approval of the respective
ministries or commissions (or bureaus) under the State Council. If the
importing units are local ones, the import shall be subject to the
examination and approval of the people's governments of the provinces,
autonomous regions or municipalities directly under the Central
Government. At the time of the import of these films, the Customs shall,
on the strength of the documents of approval issued by the ministries or
commissions (or bureaus) concerned under the State Council or by the
people's governments of the provinces, autonomous regions or
municipalities directly under the Central Government and of the Customs
Declaration Forms for Imported Goods duly completed and presented in
triplicate by the applying units, effect inspection and grant clearance
without levying duties and shall dispatch one copy of the said Forms
affixed with the Customs official seal to the Cinema Administrative Bureau
of the Ministry of Culture for the record.
Article 5
With respect to feature films presented to mainland institutions,
organizations, schools and other units by foreign organizations or
individuals or by those in the regions of Hong Kong and Macao or in Taiwan
Province, if the recipient units are affiliated to departments under the
State Council, the acceptance shall be subject to the examination and
approval of the Cinema Administrative Bureau of the Ministry of Culture.
If the recipient units are local ones, the acceptance shall be subject to
the examination and approval of the cultural bureaus (or cinema bureaus)
of the provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities directly under the
Central Government and shall be reported in writing to the Cinema
Administrative Bureau of the Ministry of Culture for the record. At the
time of the import of these films, the Customs shall, on the strength of
the Customs Declaration Forms for Imported Goods duly completed and
presented by the recipient units and of the relevant documents of
approval, effect inspection and grant clearance without levying duties.
The recipient units shall hand the said films over to the China
Cinematheque for unified custody. If the films have to be used to meet the
special business or professional needs, the recipient units may, on the
strength of the documents of approval issued by the higher competent
authorities, pick them up for the reference of the personnel concerned but
may not lend them out, or show them for entertainment purposes or show
them to the public. Upon completion of the reference, the films shall be
sent back to the custody of the China Cinematheque.
If, upon approval, imported feature films are to be released nationwide,
the China Films Corporation shall fulfil the formalities with the Customs
for retroactive payment of Customs duties.
Article 6
With respect to science and educational films that are sent by post by
foreigners, overseas Chinese and compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao and
Taiwan Province or carried in person by them when they enter China's
mainland to be given to individuals in China as presents for use as
reference materials, the Customs shall permit their import and shall, on
the strength of the Customs Declaration Forms for Imported Goods duly
completed and presented by the individuals that are to accept the films
and of the letters of certification issued by the units where the said
individuals belong, effect inspection and grant clearance without levying
duties. With respect to feature films given to individuals in China as
presents, the Customs shall in general not permit their import and shall
send them back. Under special circumstances, the Ministry of Culture and
the General Administration of Customs shall study and dispose of them.
With respect to films that are carried in person by personnel of foreign
embassies (or consulates) in China, resident personnel in China sent by
foreign industrial and commercial enterprises (including resident foreign
correspondents) and foreign experts (including experts in culture and
education, economy, and science and technology) who have been recruited to
work in China (or that are sent to them by post from abroad), the Customs
shall handle them in accordance with the existing relevant provisions.
These films shall, after their import, be placed under the strict control
of the departments concerned and shall be shown only by the aforesaid
foreigners among themselves. Chinese units or individuals are not
permitted to borrow these films for projection.
Article 7
Business activities with respect to the joint production of films by China
and foreign countries and the joint production of films by China's
mainland and the regions of Hong Kong and Macao or by the mainland and
Taiwan Province shall all be subject to the administration of the China
Films Joint Production Corporation, with the exception of the business
activities of the three Hong Kong films companies of the Great Wall, the
Phoenix and the Sunlin when they come back to shoot films on the mainland,
where the Office of Hong Kong & Macao Affairs under the State Council
shall directly approach the regions and units concerned for matters in
this respect. With respect to the import of the films jointly produced,
the China Films Joint Production Corporation shall fulfil the formalities
of import Customs declaration with the Customs. If, among these films,
there are some that are to be released nationwide, the China Films
Corporation shall, in accordance with the relevant regulations, fulfil the
formalities with the Beijing Customs for retroactive payment of Customs
duties.
Article 8
Films that are imported in violation of the relevant provisions or
smuggled in shall be dealt with by the Customs in accordance with the
relevant provisions. Those among the confiscated films that are worth
keeping because of their value for reference may be passed on to the
Cinema Administrative Bureau under the Ministry of Culture, which shall
hand them over to the China Cinematheque for preservation.
Article 9
These Measures shall go into effect as of the date of promulgation.