第一章 总则
Chapter Ⅰ General Provisions
第一条 为了规范合伙企业的行为，保护合伙企业及其合伙人、债权人的合法权益，维护社会经济秩序，促进社会主义市场经济的发展，制定本法。
Article 1 This Law is enacted in order to regulate the behavior of partnerships, to protect the lawful rights and interests of partnerships and the partners and creditors therein, to maintain social and economic order, and to promote the development of the socialist market economy.
第二条 本法所称合伙企业，是指自然人、法人和其他组织依照本法在中国境内设立的普通合伙企业和有限合伙企业。
普通合伙企业由普通合伙人组成，合伙人对合伙企业债务承担无限连带责任。本法对普通合伙人承担责任的形式有特别规定的，从其规定。
有限合伙企业由普通合伙人和有限合伙人组成，普通合伙人对合伙企业债务承担无限连带责任，有限合伙人以其认缴的出资额为限对合伙企业债务承担责任。
Article 2 For the purposes of this Law“, partnerships”refers to both general partnerships and limited liability partnerships, both of which are established according to this Law by natural persons, legal persons or other organizations within the territory of China.
A general partnership is composed of general partners who bear unlimited joint and several liability for the debts of the partnership. Where there are special provisions in this Law on the forms of liability borne by general partners, those provisions shall prevail.
A limited liability partnership is composed of general partners and limited partners, with the former bearing unlimited joint and several liability for the debts of the partnership and the latter bearing liability for such debts respectively within the limits of the capital contributions subscribed for.
第三条 国有独资公司、国有企业、上市公司以及公益性的事业单位、社会团体不得成为普通合伙人。
Article 3 A wholly State-owned company, a State-owned enterprise, a listed company, or a public welfare undertaking or public organization shall not become a general partner.
第四条 合伙协议依法由全体合伙人协商一致、以书面形式订立。
Article 4 A partnership agreement shall be lawfully concluded, in written form, on the basis of agreement reached by all the partners through consultation.
第五条 订立合伙协议、设立合伙企业，应当遵循自愿、平等、公平、诚实信用原则。
Article 5 The principles of free will, equality, fairness and good faith shall be observed in concluding a partnership agreement and establishing a partnership.
第六条 合伙企业的生产经营所得和其他所得，按照国家有关税收规定，由合伙人分别缴纳所得税。
Article 6 The partners of a partnership shall, according to the tax regulations of the State, respectively pay taxes on the partnership's incomes derived from production, business operation and other sources.
第七条 合伙企业及其合伙人必须遵守法律、行政法规，遵守社会公德、商业道德，承担社会责任。
Article 7 A partnership and its partners shall abide by laws and administrative regulations, observe social and business ethics and shoulder social responsibility.
第八条 合伙企业及其合伙人的合法财产及其权益受法律保护。
Article 8 The lawful property and rights and interests of a partnership and the partners therein shall be protected by law.
第九条 申请设立合伙企业，应当向企业登记机关提交登记申请书、合伙协议书、合伙人身份证明等文件。
合伙企业的经营范围中有属于法律、行政法规规定在登记前须经批准的项目的，该项经营业务应当依法经过批准，并在登记时提交批准文件。
Article 9 For the application for establishment of a partnership, such documents as a written application for registration, a partnership agreement and the identity papers of the partners shall be submitted to the enterprise registration authority.
Where within the business scope of a partnership there is any item for which approval is required prior to registration of the partnership, as provided for by laws or administrative regulations, such approval shall be obtained according to law and the approval document shall be submitted when applying for registration.
第十条 申请人提交的登记申请材料齐全、符合法定形式，企业登记机关能够当场登记的，应予当场登记，发给营业执照。
除前款规定情形外，企业登记机关应当自受理申请之日起二十日内，作出是否登记的决定。予以登记的，发给营业执照；不予登记的，应当给予书面答复，并说明理由。
Article 10 Where the application materials submitted for registration by an applicant are complete and conform to the statutory form, the enterprise registration authority shall, if it can, grant the registration on the spot and issue a business license.
In the absence of what is prescribed in the preceding paragraph, the enterprise registration authority shall, within 20 days from the date it receives an application for registration, decide whether or not to grant registration. If it decides to grant registration, it shall issue a business license; otherwise, it shall give a written reply and state the reasons.
第十一条 合伙企业的营业执照签发日期，为合伙企业成立日期。
合伙企业领取营业执照前，合伙人不得以合伙企业名义从事合伙业务。
Article 11 The date of issuance of the business license to a partnership shall be the date of establishment of the partnership.
Before a partnership obtains the business license, no partner therein shall engage in any partnership activities in the name of the partnership.
第十二条 合伙企业设立分支机构，应当向分支机构所在地的企业登记机关申请登记，领取营业执照。
Article 12 Where a partnership intends to set up a branch, it shall apply for registration to the enterprise registration authority at the place where the branch is to be located, in order to obtain a business license.
第十三条 合伙企业登记事项发生变更的，执行合伙事务的合伙人应当自作出变更决定或者发生变更事由之日起十五日内，向企业登记机关申请办理变更登记。
Article 13 Where a registered item of a partnership needs to be altered, the managing partner shall, within 15 days from the date a decision on alteration is made or the cause for alteration arises, apply to the enterprise registration authority for registration of alteration.