工商企字[1997]第222号
颁布日期：19970902 　实施日期：19970902 　颁布单位：国家工商行政管理局

　　GongShangQiZi [1997] No.222

　　September 2, 1997

　　Liaoning Administration for Industry and Commerce:

　　We have studied the Request of the Administration for Industry and Commerce of Benxi, Liaoning for Instructions for Defining the Term Affiliate¹ in Paragraph 1 of Article 35 of the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Business Entity² Registration³ Administration (BenGongShangFa [1997] No.38). And in accordance with the provision stating "The State Administration for Industry and Commerce reserves the right to interpret the regulations." in Article 38 of the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Business Entity Registration Administration (hereinafter referred to as the Regulations), we now reply as follows:

　　I. The term "Affiliate" in Paragraph 1 of Article 35 of the Regulations refers to any commercial organization invested and established by business entities⁴ with a fixed⁵ operating location, which operates directly in its own name without corporate⁶ capacity and whose civil liabilities are borne by its holding business entity.

　　II. Business entities should observe provisions set forth⁷ in Articles 17 and 35 of the Regulations and related provisions in the Implementing⁸ Rules of the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Business Entity Registration Administration (hereinafter referred to as the Implementing Rules) for the establishment of affiliates⁹ without independent capacity to assume civil liabilities through applications by the holding business entities for registration alteration¹⁰ and operation registration. The affiliates should operate only after obtaining their business license¹¹. Operations in the name of affiliates without the registration approval should be punished in accordance with Paragraph 1 of Article 30 of the Regulations and Paragraph 1 of Article 66 of the Implementing Rules.

　　III. In compliance¹² with related state laws and regulations, branches, sub-branches, small local branches, business departments and savings¹³ houses legitimately¹⁴ established by commercial banks and credit unions all belong to the category of affiliates and should therefore complete business registration procedures and claim their business license in accordance with the above-mentioned provisions prior to their operation. For your reference and implementation¹⁵, the Administration for Industry and Commerce once explicitly¹⁶ confirmed this principle in our reply to Guangdong Administration for Industry and Commerce dated March 5, 1997 (Reply to YueGongShangHan [1996] No.416) and our reply to Liaoning Administration for Industry and Commerce dated July 14, 1997 (Reply to LiaoGongShang [1997] No.29).