第一章 总 则

CHAPTER I GENERAL PROVISIONS

　　第一条 为了保护通信自由和通信秘密，保障邮政工作的正常进行，促进邮政事业的发展，以适应社会主义建设和人民生活的需要，根据《中华人民共和国宪法》，制定本法。

Article 1. This Law is formulated in accordance with the Constitution of the People's Republic of China, with a view to protecting freedom and privacy of correspondence, ensuring normal progress of postal work, and promoting development of postal services, so as to suit the needs of socialist construction and livelihood of the people.

　　第二条 国务院邮政主管部门管理全国邮政工作。

Article 2. The competent department of postal services under the State Council shall administer postal services throughout the country.

国务院邮政主管部门根据需要设立地区邮政管理机构，管理该地区的邮政工作。

The competent department of postal services under the State Council shall set up regional administrative organs of postal services as required to administer postal services of each region.

　　第三条 国务院邮政主管部门所属的邮政企业是全民所有制的经营邮政业务的公用企业。

Article 3. The postal enterprises attached to the competent department of postal services under the State Council are public enterprises, owned by the whole people, that operate postal businesses.

邮政企业按照国务院邮政主管部门的规定设立经营邮政业务的分支机构。

According to stipulations of the competent department of postal services under the State Council, postal enterprises shall establish branch offices that operate postal businesses.

　　第四条 通信自由和通信秘密受法律保护。除因国家安全或者追查刑事犯罪的需要，由公安机关、国家安全机关或者检察机关依照法律规定的程序对通信进行检查外，任何组织或者个人不得以任何理由侵犯他人的通信自由和通信秘密。

Article 4. Freedom and privacy of correspondence shall be protected by law. No organization or individual shall infringe upon the freedom and privacy of correspondence of other persons for any reason, except when the inspection of correspondence in accordance with legal procedures by the public security organ, the state security organ or the procuratorial organ is necessary for the state's safety or the investigation of criminal offence.

　　第五条 用户交寄的邮件、交汇的汇款和储蓄的存款受法律保护。除法律另有规定外，任何组织或者个人不得检查、扣留。

Article 5. Postal materials handed in or posted, remittances made and savings deposited by users shall be protected by law, and shall not be inspected and withheld by any organization or individual except as otherwise provided by law.

　　第六条 邮政企业应当为用户提供迅速、准确、安全、方便的邮政服务。

Article 6. Postal enterprises shall provide users with fast, accurate, safe and convenient postal services.

除法律另有规定外，邮政企业和邮政工作人员不得向任何组织或者个人提供用户使用邮政业务的情况。

Postal enterprises and postal staff shall not provide information to any organization or individual about users' dealings with postal services except as otherwise provided for by law.

　　第七条 邮件和汇款在未投交收件人、收款人之前，所有权属于寄件人或者汇款人。

Article 7. Postal materials and remittances shall be owned by senders and remitters before they are delivered to recipients and remittees.

　　第八条 信件和其他具有信件性质的物品的寄递业务由邮政企业专营，但是国务院另有规定的除外。

Article 8. Posting and delivering services of mail and other articles with characteristics of mail shall be exclusively operated by postal enterprises, except as otherwise provided by the State Council.

邮政企业根据需要可以委托其他单位或者个人代办邮政企业专营的业务。代办人员办理邮政业务时，适用本法关于邮政工作人员的规定。

Postal enterprises may, according to needs, entrust other units or individuals as agents to run businesses exclusively operated by postal enterprises. The provisions on postal personnel specified in this Law shall apply to agents when they handle postal businesses.

　　第九条 任何单位或者个人不得伪造或者冒用邮政专用标志、邮政标志服和邮政专用品。

Article 9. No unit or individual shall produce false copies or make fraudulent use of special postal marks, postal uniforms and special postal articles.

第二章 邮政企业的设置和邮政设施

CHAPTER II ESTABLISHMENT OF POSTAL ENTERPRISES AND POSTAL FACILITIES

　　第十条 邮政企业及其分支机构的设置标准，由国务院邮政主管部门规定。

Article 10. Standards for establishment of postal enterprises and their branch offices shall be formulated by the competent department of postal services under the State Council.

　　第十一条 邮政企业应当在方便群众的地方设置分支机构、邮亭、报刊亭、邮筒等设施，或者进行流动服务。

Article 11. Postal enterprises shall establish branch offices, postal kiosks, newspaper and periodical stands, mail boxes, etc., in places convenient to the masses, or provide mobile services.

城市居民楼应当设置住户接收邮件的信报箱。

Residents' mailboxes for receiving letters and newspapers shall be installed in residential buildings in cities.

在较大的车站、机场、港口和宾馆内，应当设有办理邮政业务的场所。

Places shall be provided for handling postal business in larger railway stations, airports, ports and guest houses.

第三章 邮政业务的种类和资费

CHAPTER III CLASSIFICATION OF POSTAL BUSINESSES AND POSTAL RATES

　　第十二条 邮政企业经营下列业务：

Article 12. Postal enterprises operate the following businesses:

　　（一）国内和国际邮件寄递；

(1) posting and delivering of domestic and international postal materials;

　　（二）国内报刊发行；

(2) distributing domestic newspapers and periodicals;

　　（三）邮政储蓄、邮政汇兑；

(3) postal savings and postal remittances; and

　　（四）国务院邮政主管部门规定的适合邮政企业经营的其他业务。

(4) other suitable businesses stipulated by the competent department of postal services under the State Council.

　　第十三条 邮政企业及其分支机构不得擅自停办国务院邮政主管部门和地区邮政管理机构规定的必须办理的邮政业务。

Article 13. Postal enterprises and their branch offices shall not arbitrarily close down those postal businesses that must be handled according to the stipulations made by the competent department of postal services under the State Council and the regional administrative organ of postal services.

因不可抗力或者特殊原因，邮政企业及其分支机构需要暂时停止或者限制办理部分邮政业务，必须经国务院邮政主管部门或者地区邮政管理机构批准。

Owing to force majeure or special reasons, if postal enterprises and their branch offices need to close down temporarily or restrict the handling of some postal businesses, they must obtain approval of the competent department of postal services under the State Council or of regional postal administrative organs.

　　第十四条 邮政企业应当加强报刊发行工作。出版单位委托邮政企业发行报刊，应当与邮政企业订立发行合同。

Article 14. Postal enterprises shall strengthen distribution work of newspapers and periodicals. If publishing units entrust postal enterprises with distribution of newspapers and periodicals, they must make distribution contracts with postal enterprises.

　　第十五条 邮政业务的基本资费，由国务院物价主管部门制定，报国务院批准。非基本资费由国务院邮政主管部门规定。

Article 15. The basic postal rates of postal services shall be set by the competent department in charge of pricing under the State Council and shall be reported to the State Council for approval. Non-basic postal rates shall be formulated by the competent department of postal services under the State Council.

　　第十六条 各类邮件资费的交付，以邮资凭证或者证明邮资已付的戳记表示。

Article 16. The payment of postage on various postal materials shall be indicated by postage certificates or by postmarks showing postage paid.

　　第十七条 邮票、邮资信封、邮资明信片、邮资邮简等邮资凭证由国务院邮政主管部门发行，任何单位或者个人不得伪造。

Article 17. Postage stamps, stamped envelopes, stamped postcards, stamped aerogrammes and other postage certificates shall be issued by the competent department of postal services under the State Council, and no unit or individual shall be allowed to produce false copies.

仿印邮票图案的管理办法，由国务院邮政主管部门规定。

The administrative measures on making facsimiles of stamp patterns shall be formulated by the competent department of postal services under the State Council.

　　第十八条 售出的邮资凭证不得向邮政企业及其分支机构兑换现金。

Article 18. Postage certificates sold shall not be cashed in postal enterprises or their branch offices.

停止使用的邮资凭证，由国务院邮政主管部门在停止使用前一个月公告并停止出售，持有人可以自公告之日起六个月内向邮政企业及其分支机构换取有效的邮资凭证。

Postage certificates to be withdrawn from circulation shall be announced to the public, and sales will be stopped one month in advance by the competent department of postal services under the State Council. Holders of such postage certificates may exchange them for valid postage certificates at postal enterprises and their branch offices within six months from the date of the announcement.

　　第十九条 下列邮资凭证不得使用：

Article 19. The following postage certificates shall not be used:

　　（一）经国务院邮政主管部门公告已经停止使用的；

(1) those which the competent department of postal services under the State Council has announced as withdrawn from usage;

　　（二）盖销或者划销的；

(2) those that have been postmarked or cancelled;

　　（三）污染、残缺或者褪色、变色，难以辨认的；

(3) those that are contaminated, incomplete or illegible due to fading or decolouring; and

　　（四）从邮资信封、邮资明信片、邮资邮简上剪下的邮票图案。

(4) stamp patterns cut off from stamped envelopes, stamped postcards and stamped aerogrammes.

第四章 邮件的寄递

CHAPTER IV POSTING AND DELIVERING OF POSTAL MATERIALS

　　第二十条 用户交寄邮件，必须遵守国务院有关主管部门关于禁止寄递物品、限量寄递物品的规定。

Article 20. In handing in or posting postal materials, users must abide by the provisions formulated by the relevant competent department under the State Council on articles forbidden to post or deliver and articles to be posted or delivered in limited amounts.

　　第二十一条 用户交寄除信件以外的其他邮件，应当交邮政企业或者其分支机构当面验视内件。拒绝验视的，不予收寄。

Article 21. The contents of postal materials, other than letters, to be handed in or posted by users, shall be checked on the spot by postal enterprises or branch offices, and if such examination is refused, the postal material shall not be accepted and posted.

用户交寄的信件必须符合准寄内容的规定，必要时邮政企业及其分支机构有权要求用户取出进行验视。

Mail handed in or posted by users must be in line with the stipulations concerning the content allowed to be posted; postal enterprises and their branch offices have the right to request users to take out the contents for examination, when necessary.

　　第二十二条 邮政企业及其分支机构应当按照国务院邮政主管部门规定的时限投交邮件。

Article 22. Postal enterprises and their branch offices shall deliver postal materials within the time limits laid down by the competent department of postal services under the State Council.

　　第二十三条 无法投递的邮件，应当退回寄件人。

Article 23. Undeliverable postal materials shall be returned to the senders.

无法投递又无法退回的信件，在国务院邮政主管部门规定的期限内无人认领的，由地区邮政管理机构负责销毁。

Mail that is both undeliverable and unreturnable, and unclaimed within the time limit stipulated by the competent department of postal services under the State Council, shall be destroyed on the authority of regional administrative organs of postal services.

无法投递又无法退回的进口国际邮递物品，在国务院邮政主管部门规定的期限内无人认领的，由海关依法处理。

The incoming international postal articles that are undeliverable and unreturnable, and unclaimed within the time limit stipulated by the competent department of postal offices under the State Council, shall be handled by the Customs in accordance with the law.

无法投递又无法退回的其他邮件的处理办法，由国务院邮政主管部门规定。

Disposal measures for other undeliverable and unreturnable postal materials shall be formulated by the competent department of postal services under the State Council.

　　第二十四条 邮政汇款的收款人应当自收到汇款通知之日起两个月内凭有效证明到邮政企业或者其分支机构兑领汇款；逾期未领的汇款，由邮政企业或者其分支机构退回汇款人。

Article 24. The remittees of postal remittances shall cash the postal remittances with valid documents at postal enterprises or branch offices within two months after receiving the notice of postal remittances. Remittances unclaimed when such time period expires shall be returned to the remitters by postal enterprises or branch offices.

自退汇通知投交汇款人之日起满十个月未被领回的汇款，上缴国库。

Remittances which are unclaimed when a period of ten months expires, counting from the date of delivering the return-remittance notice to the remitters, shall be turned over to the state treasury.

　　第二十五条 寄递邮件逐步实行邮政编码，具体办法由国务院邮政主管部门规定。

Article 25. In posting and delivering postal materials, postal codes shall be adopted gradually, and specific pertinent measures shall be formulated by the competent department of postal services under the State Council.

第五章 邮件的运输、验关和检疫

CHAPTER V TRANSPORTATION, CUSTOMS EXAMINATION AND QUARANTINE INSPECTION OF POSTAL MATERIALS

　　第二十六条 铁路、公路、水运、航空等运输单位均负有载运邮件的责任，保证邮件优先运出，并在运费上予以优惠。

Article 26. Transportation units operating railways, highways, waterways and airlines shall all have the responsibility of carrying and transporting postal materials, and shall ensure priority to transporting postal materials at preferential freight charges.

　　第二十七条 邮政企业在车站、机场、港口转运邮件，有关运输单位应当统一安排装卸邮件的场所和出入通道。

Article 27. When postal enterprises transfer postal materials in railway stations, airports and ports, transportation units concerned shall make coordinated arrangement of space and in-and-out passageways for loading and unloading postal materials.

　　第二十八条 带有邮政专用标志的邮政车船和邮政工作人员进出港口、通过渡口时，应当优先放行。

Article 28. Ships with special postal marks, postal vans and postal staff shall be given priority in entering and departing ports and crossing on ferries.

带有邮政专用标志的邮政车辆需要通过禁行路线或者在禁止停车地段停车的，由有关主管部门核准通行、停车。

Postal vehicles with special postal marks which need to pass through a lane closed to traffic or to stop in no-parking sections of the road shall be verified and approved by the competent department concerned for passing or parking.

　　第二十九条 邮件通过海上运输时，不参与分摊共同海损。

Article 29. When transported by sea, postal materials shall not be included in arrangements for sharing common sea losses.

　　第三十条 国际邮递物品未经海关查验放行，邮政企业不得寄递。

Article 30. Postal enterprises shall not post or deliver international postal articles that are not examined and allowed to pass by the Customs.

国际邮袋出入境、开拆和封发，应当由海关监管。邮政企业应当将作业时间事先通知海关，海关应当按时派员到场监管查验。

The Customs shall supervise the entry and exit, opening, sealing and dispatching of international mail bags. Postal enterprises shall inform the Customs of their business hours in advance, and the Customs shall promptly send officials to supervise on-the-spot checking and examination.

　　第三十一条 依法应当施行卫生检疫或者动植物检疫的邮件，由检疫部门负责拣出并进行检疫；未经检疫部门许可，邮政企业不得运递。

Article 31. Postal materials that are subject to health and quarantine inspections or animal and plant quarantine inspections according to law shall be sorted out and quarantined under the charge of quarantine offices; no transportation and delivery shall be conducted by postal enterprises without a permit from a quarantine office.

第六章 损失赔偿

CHAPTER VI COMPENSATION FOR LOSSES

　　第三十二条 用户对交寄的给据邮件和交汇的汇款，可以在交寄或者交汇之日起一年内，持据向收寄、收汇的邮政企业或者其分支机构查询。

Article 32. Users may present receipts and inquire, within one year counting from the date of the posting or remitting, about vouchered postal materials and remittances which they handed in for posting or remitting at the postal enterprises or their branch offices that took in the postal materials or accepted the remittances.

邮政企业及其分支机构应当在国务院邮政主管部门规定的期限内将查询结果通知查询人。

Postal enterprises or branch offices shall inform inquirers of the results of inquiry within the time limit set by the competent department of postal services under the State Council.

查复期满无结果的，邮政企业应当先予赔偿或者采取补救措施。自赔偿之日起一年内，查明有本法第三十四条第（二）项和第（三）项情形之一的，邮政企业有权收回赔偿。

If no result is found within the time limit for responding to the inquiry, postal enterprises shall make compensation first or take remedial measures. Within a year counting from the date of making such compensation, if it is ascertained that the circumstance for which the compensation was made conforms with either item 2 or item 3 of Article 34 of this Law, the postal enterprises shall have the right to recall the compensation.

　　第三十三条 邮政企业对于给据邮件丢失、损毁、内件短少，依照下列规定赔偿或者采取补救措施：

Article 33. For losses, damage, destruction or missing contents of vouchered postal materials, postal enterprises shall make compensation or take remedial measures according to the following stipulations:

　　（一）挂号信件，按照国务院邮政主管部门规定的金额赔偿。

(1) For registered mail, compensation shall be made according to standard amounts formulated by the competent department of postal services under the State Council.

　　（二）保价邮件，丢失或者全部损毁的，按照保价额赔偿；内件短少或者部分损毁的，按照保价额同邮件全部价值的比例对邮件实际损失予以赔偿。

(2) For insured postal materials which are lost or totally damaged or destroyed, compensation shall be made according to the insurance coverage. For missing contents or partial damage or destruction of insured postal materials, compensation shall be made according to the actual losses of the postal materials, based on the ratio between the insurance coverage and the whole value of the postal materials.

　　（三）非保价邮包，按照邮包实际损失价值赔偿，但是最高不超过国务院邮政主管部门规定的限额。

(3) For uninsured postal parcels, compensation shall be made according to the actual damages due to loss of such postal parcels, but the maximum compensation shall not exceed the amount formulated by the competent department of postal services under the State Council.

　　（四）其他给据邮件，按照国务院邮政主管部门规定的办法赔偿或者采取补救措施。

(4) For other types of vouchered postal materials, compensation shall be made or remedial measures taken according to the measures provided for by the competent department of postal services under the State Council.

　　第三十四条 有下列情形之一的，邮政企业不负赔偿责任：

Article 34. Postal enterprises shall not be held liable for compensation, if one of the following situations occurs:

　　（一）平常邮件的损失；

(1) losses of ordinary postal materials;

　　（二）由于用户的责任或者所寄物品本身的原因造成给据邮件损失的；

(2) losses of vouchered postal materials caused by the user or due to some characteristic of the posted articles per se;

　　（三）除汇款和保价邮件以外的其他给据邮件由于不可抗力的原因造成损失的；

(3) losses of vouchered postal materials, other than postal remittances and insured postal materials caused by force majeure; and

　　（四）用户自交寄给据邮件或者交汇汇款之日起满一年未查询又未提出赔偿要求的。

(4) users failing to inquire about or demand compensation at the end of one year, counting from the date of handing in or posting the vouchered postal materials or making the remittance.

　　第三十五条 用户因损失赔偿同邮政企业发生争议的，可以要求邮政企业的上级主管部门处理，对处理不服的可以向人民法院起诉；也可以直接向人民法院起诉。

Article 35. If disputes over compensation for losses occur between users and postal enterprises, users may request the competent department of postal services of higher levels to settle; users who refuse to accept the settlement thereof may file lawsuits with the people's court; users may also file lawsuits with the people's court directly.

第七章 罚 则

CHAPTER VII PENALTY PROVISIONS

　　第三十六条 隐匿、毁弃或者非法开拆他人信件，侵犯公民通信自由权利，情节严重的，依照《中华人民共和国刑法》第一百四十九条的规定追究刑事责任；尚不够刑事处罚的，依照《中华人民共和国治安管理处罚条例》第二十二条的规定处罚。

Article 36. Persons who infringe upon the citizens' right to freedom of correspondence by concealing, destroying, discarding or illegally opening mail of another person, where circumstances are serious, shall be investigated for criminal liability according to the provisions of Article 149 of the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China, and those whose acts are not serious enough for criminal punishment shall be punished according to the provisions of Article 22 of Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Administrative Penalties for Public Security.

　　第三十七条 邮政工作人员私自开拆或者隐匿、毁弃邮件的，依照《中华人民共和国刑法》第一百九十一条第一款的规定追究刑事责任。

Article 37. Postal personnel who without permission open or conceal, destroy or discard postal materials shall be investigated for criminal liability in accordance with Paragraph 1 in Article 191 of the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China.

犯前款罪而窃取财物的，依照《中华人民共和国刑法》第一百九十一条第二款的规定，按贪污罪从重处罚。

Those who commit the crime specified in the preceding provision and also steal property therein shall be given a heavier punishment for the crime of embezzlement in accordance with Paragraph 2 in Article 191 of the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China.

　　第三十八条 故意损毁邮筒等邮政公用设施，尚不够刑事处罚的，依照《中华人民共和国治安管理处罚条例》第二十五条的规定处罚；情节严重的，依照《中华人民共和国刑法》第一百五十六条的规定追究刑事责任。

Article 38. Persons who intentionally damage or destroy public postal facilities such as mailboxes, where such acts are not serious enough for criminal punishment, shall be punished in accordance with the provisions of Article 25 of Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Administrative Penalties for Public Security, and where circumstances are serious, such persons shall be investigated for criminal liability in accordance with the provisions of Article 156 of the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China.

　　第三十九条 邮政工作人员拒不办理依法应当办理的邮政业务的，故意延误投递邮件的，给予行政处分。

Article 39. Postal personnel who refuse to handle the postal businesses which should be handled according to law or who intentionally delay the delivery of postal materials shall be given administrative disciplinary sanction.

邮政工作人员玩忽职守，致使公共财产、国家和人民利益遭受重大损失的，依照《中华人民共和国刑法》第一百八十七条的规定追究刑事责任。

Postal Postal personnel who are derelict in their duties and bring about great loss to public property and the interests of the state and the people shall be investigated for criminal liability in accordance with the provisions of Article 187 of the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China.

　　第四十条 违反本法第八条规定，经营信件和其他具有信件性质的物品的寄递业务的，由工商行政管理部门责令其将收寄的信件和其他具有信件性质的物品及收取的资费退还寄件人，处以罚款。

Article 40. Persons who, in violation of provisions of Article 8 of this Law, handle the business of posting and delivering mail or articles with characteristics of mail shall be ordered by industrial and commercial administrative authorities to return the mail and other articles and the postal fees they have obtained from the senders, and a fine shall be imposed on them.

当事人对处罚决定不服的，可以在接到处罚通知之日起十五日内向人民法院起诉；逾期不起诉又不履行的，由工商行政管理部门申请人民法院强制执行。

Parties concerned who refuse to obey the decision of punishment may bring suits to the people's court within 15 days of receiving the penalty notice. If parties concerned neither bring suits to the people's court nor implement the decision after such time limit expires, the industrial and commercial administrative authorities shall apply to the people's court for mandatory enforcement.

　　第四十一条 本法下列用语的含义是：

Article 41. The meanings of the following terms used in this Law are:

　　（一）邮件：指通过邮政企业寄递的信件、印刷品、邮包、汇款通知、报刊等。

(1) postal materials: referring to mail, printed matter, postal parcels, money orders, newspapers, periodicals, etc. posted and delivered by postal enterprises.

　　（二）信件：指信函和明信片。

(2) mail: referring to letters and postcards.

　　（三）平常邮件：指邮政企业及其分支机构在收寄时不出具收据，投递时不要求收件人签收的邮件。

(3) ordinary postal materials: referring to the postal materials that postal enterprises and their branch offices do not issue receipts for upon acceptance and posting, and do not request recipients to sign for on delivery.

　　（四）给据邮件：指挂号信件、邮包、保价邮件等由邮政企业及其分支机构在收寄时出具收据，投递时要求收件人签收的邮件。

(4) vouchered postal materials: referring to postal materials such as registered mail, postal parcels, insured postal materials, etc. that the postal enterprises and their branch offices issue receipts for upon acceptance and posting, and for which recipients are requested to sign on delivery.

　　（五）国际邮递物品：指中华人民共和国与其他国家和地区的用户相互寄递的印刷品和邮包。

(5) international postal articles: referring to printed matter and postal parcels posted and delivered between users of the People's Republic of China and users of foreign countries or regions.

　　（六）邮政专用品：指邮政日戳、邮政夹钳和邮袋。

(6) special postal articles: referring to postal date-marks, postal tongs for lead sealing and postal bags.

　　第四十二条 中华人民共和国缔结或者参加的有关国际邮政事务的国际条约同本法有不同规定的，适用该国际条约的规定。但是，中华人民共和国声明保留的条款除外。

Article 42. If provisions of this Law contravene those of the international treaties concerning international postal affairs which the People's Republic of China has concluded or to which China is a party, the provisions of the international treaties concerned shall prevail, with the exception of the treaty clauses on which the People's Republic of China has declared reservations.

　　第四十三条 国务院邮政主管部门根据本法制定实施细则，报国务院批准施行。

Article 43. The competent department of postal services under the State Council shall, in accordance with this Law, formulate rules for its implementation, which shall go into effect after being submitted to and approved by the State Council.

　　第四十四条 本法自１９８７年１月１日起施行。

Article 44. This Law shall go into effect on January 1, 1987.