附：中华人民共和国最高人民法院和新加坡共和国最高法院关于法律查明问题的合作谅解备忘录中英对照版

Announcement of the Supreme People's Court

of the People's Republic of China

The Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between the Supreme People's Court of the People's Republic of China and the Supreme Court of the Republic of Singapore on Information on Foreign Law signed by the Supreme People's Court of the People's Republic of China and the Supreme Court of the Republic of Singapore on Dec. 3, 2021, is hereby promulgated and shall come into effect on April 3, 2022.   

Supreme People's Court

April 3, 2022 

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ON COOPERATION BETWEEN

THE SUPREME PEOPLE'S COURT

OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

AND THE SUPREME COURT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE

ON INFORMATION ON FOREIGN LAW

The Supreme People's Court of the People's Republic of China and the Supreme Court of the Republic of Singapore (each referred to as a “Participant”, and collectively referred to as the “Participants”),

With a view to promoting the ties of friendship between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Singapore, jointly advancing the “Belt and Road” Initiative and further strengthening pragmatic cooperation in the judicial sector between the two States,

For the purpose of providing convenience to courts of both States to determine questions of law of the other State in international civil and commercial cases, enhancing the accuracy and authority of information on foreign laws, and improving efficiency of judicial adjudication,

Mutually agree to strengthen bilateral cooperation on information on foreign law in international civil and commercial cases, and have made and entered into the following Memorandum of Understanding (the "MOU"):

Article I Scope of application

If it is necessary for courts in the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Singapore to apply the law of the other State in adjudicating international civil and commercial cases, a request may be made to the Participant in the other State to provide information and opinions on its domestic law and judicial practice in civil and commercial matters, or matters relating thereto, in accordance with this MOU. 

Article II Authorities entitled to make a request 

A request for information and opinions will always emanate from a court determining questions of law (“Requesting Court”). The request may only be made in connection with ongoing civil or commercial proceedings.

Article III Contents of a request 

A request for information and opinions will include:

1. The name of the Requesting Court; 

2. The nature of the case for which the request is filed;

3. The specific legal matters requested;

4. The facts, assumptions, and other auxiliary information upon which the reply to the request is to be determined. 

The request will not specifically identify the parties or the proceedings to which they are party. 

Article IV Transmission of a request 

Requests from the courts of the People's Republic of China will be transmitted through the Supreme People's Court of the People's Republic of China to the Supreme Court of the Republic of Singapore; and requests from the courts of the Republic of Singapore will be transmitted through the Supreme Court of the Republic of Singapore to the Supreme People's Court of the People's Republic of China. For the purposes of this MOU, the Participant transmitting a request for information and opinions will be referred to as the “Requesting Participant” while the Participant receiving the request will be referred to as the “Receiving Participant”.

Article V Receipt of and reply to a request

The Supreme People's Court of the People's Republic of China is empowered to receive and respond to requests transmitted through or by the Supreme Court of the Republic of Singapore. 

The Supreme Court of the Republic of Singapore is empowered to receive and respond to requests transmitted through or by the Supreme People's Court of the People's Republic of China. 

Article VI Contents of the reply

The Receiving Participant will provide information and opinions to the Requesting Participant in an objective and impartial manner. The reply will contain, as appropriate, relevant information adequately addressing each aspect of the request where possible. It will be accompanied, to the extent deemed necessary for the proper understanding of the information, by any additional documents, including but not limited to, legal texts, relevant judicial precedents, judicial decisions, judicial interpretations, and court orders.

Article VII Transmission of a reply

The Participants will transmit their replies directly to each other in accordance with their respective procedures. 

Article VIII Clarifications of information

The Receiving Participant may request that the Requesting Participant provide further clarifications about the request. Such requests for clarifications will be transmitted to the Requesting Participant in accordance with Article IV of this MOU. 

Article IX Timeline for the reply

The reply to a request for information and opinions will be furnished as promptly as possible. However, if the reply cannot be made within sixty days upon receipt of the request, the Receiving Participant will promptly notify the Requesting Participant.

If the Receiving Participant requests the Requesting Participant to provide further clarifications, the reply to a request for clarifications will be furnished as promptly as possible. However, if the reply cannot be made within thirty days upon receipt of the request, the Requesting Participant will promptly notify the Receiving Participant.

Article X Effects of the reply

1.The information and opinions provided in the reply are for reference only and will not bind the Requesting Court in the determination of any question of law in any ongoing or future proceedings or in any other way. The Requesting Court may use the information and opinions provided in the reply in such manner as it thinks fit, in accordance with its domestic laws, practices and usages.

2.To avoid doubt:

a.the Requesting Court will be entitled to make the reply obtained from the Receiving Participant available to the parties to the case for which the request was filed, and invite the parties to make submissions on the reply; and

b.the Requesting Court, through the Requesting Participant, will be entitled to make further requests for information and opinions arising from the reply.

3.The Receiving Participant will not be liable for the information and opinions provided. 

Article XI Exceptions to the obligation to reply

If the Receiving Participant considers that issuing a reply to the request may be prejudicial to its sovereignty, security or public interests, it may refuse the request but will promptly notify the Requesting Participant accordingly. 

Article XII Languages

1.The request and any annexes will be in the official language of the Receiving Participant or be accompanied by a translation into that language. 

2.The reply and any annexes will be in the official language of the Receiving Participant and be accompanied by a translation into the official language of the Requesting Participant.

3.For the purposes of sub-paragraphs 1 and 2 above, the official language of the Supreme People's Court of the People's Republic of China is the Chinese language, and the official language of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Singapore is the English language.

Article XIII Liaison bodies

The Supreme People's Court of the People's Republic of China appoints the International Cooperation Department of the Supreme People's Court, and the Supreme Court of the Republic of Singapore appoints the Registry of the Supreme Court, as liaison bodies under this MOU. Requests and replies between the Participants will be transmitted by these liaison bodies via specified email addresses or other agreed means. 

Article XIV Relations with other ways of proof of foreign laws

This MOU will apply without prejudice to the rights of the courts of both States to determine questions of law of the other State by international conventions, bilateral treaties, domestic law or any other means in international civil and commercial proceedings. 

Article XV Dispute settlement

Any disputes or differences which may arise from the interpretation or implementation of this MOU will be settled through friendly consultation based on mutual understanding and respect between the Participants, without reference to any third party, court, tribunal, or any other forum. 

Article XVI Amendments

This MOU may be amended at any time in writing by mutual consent of the Participants. Any amendment which has been agreed upon by the Participants will come into effect on such date as agreed by the Participants and will be considered an integral part of this MOU.

Any amendment will not prejudice any request for information or opinions or any reply received thereto issued or received before, or up to, the date of such amendment.

Article XVII Effectiveness and termination

This MOU will come into effect on 3 April 2022. Either Participant may terminate this MOU upon written notice to the other Participant. This MOU will terminate six months after receipt of such written notice. 

This MOU does not constitute any treaty or law nor does it create any legally binding rights or obligations between the Participants under domestic or international law. 

This MOU is signed in two original copies, one being in Chinese and the other in English, both texts being equally valid, on December 3, 2021 in the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Singapore.

 第33课标题：谅解备忘录范例（中文版）

（中文版）

中华人民共和国最高人民法院公告

　　中华人民共和国最高人民法院和新加坡共和国最高法院关于法律查明问题的合作谅解备忘录于2021年12月3日在中华人民共和国和新加坡共和国签署。现予公布，自2022年4月3日起正式生效。

　　最高人民法院

　　2022年4月3日

中华人民共和国最高人民法院与新加坡共和国最高法院

关于法律查明问题的合作谅解备忘录

　　中华人民共和国最高人民法院与新加坡共和国最高法院（单称“参与方”，合称“各参与方”）：

　　为促进中华人民共和国和新加坡共和国友好关系发展，共同推进“一带一路”建设，进一步密切两国司法领域的务实合作；

　　为两国法院在国际民商事案件中查明对方法律提供便利，增强外国法查明的准确性和权威性，提高司法审判效率；

　　双方就加强国际民商事案件外国法查明的双边合作达成共识并拟定以下谅解备忘录（以下简称“备忘录”）：

　　第一条  适用范围

　　当中华人民共和国和新加坡共和国的法院在审理国际民商事案件中需要适用对方国家的法律时，各参与方可以依据本备忘录请求对方针对其民事和商事的国内法和司法实践或相关事项，提供信息和意见。

　　第二条  有权提出请求的机构

　　提供信息和意见的请求将由双方有法律查明需求的法院提出（“请求法院”）。该请求只能就正在进行的民事或商事诉讼提出。

　　第三条  请求书的内容

　　提供信息和意见的请求书将包括：

　　1. 请求法院的名称；

　　2. 提出请求案件的性质；

　　3. 请求的具体法律事项；

　　4. 对请求作出答复所需要的事实、假设和其它辅助性信息。

　　提出请求时，不具体指明诉讼当事方或其作为当事方的诉讼。

　　第四条  请求的传递

　　来自中华人民共和国法院的请求由中华人民共和国最高人民法院向新加坡共和国最高法院传递，来自新加坡共和国法院的请求由新加坡共和国最高法院向中华人民共和国最高人民法院传递。就本备忘录而言，递交请求的参与方简称“请求方”，收到请求的参与方简称“接收方”。

　　第五条  请求的接收和答复

　　中华人民共和国最高人民法院负责接收通过或由新加坡共和国最高法院传递的请求并进行答复。

　　新加坡共和国最高法院负责接收通过或由中华人民共和国最高人民法院传递的请求并进行答复。

　　第六条  答复的内容

　　接收方将以客观公正的方式向请求方提供信息和意见。在适当的情况下，答复将尽可能充分地对请求中包含的各项请求逐一回应，必要时可附正确理解信息所必需的任何其他文件，包括但不限于法律文本、相关判例、司法裁决、司法解释、法院指令等。

　　第七条  答复的传递

　　各参与方按照各自程序将答复直接提交给对方。

　　第八条  信息的澄清

　　接收方可以要求请求方对请求作进一步澄清，澄清请求将按照本备忘录第四条的规定送交请求方。

　　第九条  答复时间期限

　　接收方将尽快对提供信息和意见的请求作出答复。如在收到请求后六十日内无法作出答复，接收方将及时通知请求方。

　　如果接收方要求请求方对请求作进一步澄清，请求方将尽快答复澄清请求。但是，如果在收到澄清请求后三十天内不能作出答复，请求方将及时通知接收方。

　　第十条  答复的效力

　　1. 答复所提供的信息和意见仅供参考使用，对请求法院在任何正在进行或未来的诉讼中裁判任何法律问题或在其他方面都不具有约束力。请求法院可根据其国内法、惯例和习惯，以其认为适当的方式使用答复中提供的信息和意见。

　　2. 为避免疑义：

　　a. 请求法院有权将接收方的答复提供给请求案件的当事方，并请当事方就答复作出陈词；和

　　b. 请求法院有权通过请求方就答复提出要求提供进一步信息和意见的请求。

　　3. 接收方不对所提供的信息和意见承担责任。

　　第十一条  不予答复的情形

　　如果接收方认为对提出的请求进行答复可能危害本国国家主权、安全、社会公共利益的，可不予答复，并立即通知请求方。

　　第十二条  语言文字

　　1. 请求及任何附件使用接收方的官方语言文字或附以该官方语言文字的译本。

　　2. 答复及任何附件使用接收方的官方语言文字，并附以请求方官方语言文字的译本。

　　3. 就上文第1款和第2款而言，中华人民共和国最高人民法院的官方语言文字为中文，新加坡共和国最高法院的官方语言文字为英文。

　　第十三条  联络部门

　　中华人民共和国最高人民法院指定最高人民法院国际合作局，新加坡共和国最高法院指定最高法院注册处为本备忘录项下联络部门。各参与方的请求和答复将由该联络部门通过指定的电子邮箱或其它认可的方式传递。

　　第十四条  与其它外国法查明方式的关系

　　本备忘录的适用不妨碍两国法院在审理国际民商事案件时通过国际公约、双边条约、国内法律等其他方式查明对方国家的法律。

　　第十五条  争端解决

　　在解释或执行本备忘录时如出现任何争议或分歧，将在各参与方互相理解和尊重的基础上通过友好协商解决，而不向任何第三方、法院、仲裁庭或任何其他审判机构提出。

　　第十六条 修订

　　本备忘录可在任何时候经各参与方相互同意以书面形式修订。各参与方同意的任何修订将在各参与方同意的日期生效，并将视为本备忘录不可分割的一部分。

　　任何修订均不损害在该修订日期之前或截至该修订日期发出或收到的任何提供信息或意见的请求或收到的任何答复。

　　第十七条  生效和终止

　　本备忘录将于2022年4月3日生效。任何参与方可以书面通知另一参与方终止本备忘录。在收到前述书面通知六个月后，本备忘录终止。

　　本备忘录不构成任何条约或法律，也不在参与方之间根据国内法或国际法规定设立任何具有法律约束力的权利或义务。

　　本备忘录于2021年12月3日在中华人民共和国和新加坡共和国签署，一式两份，中英文正本各一份，两种文本具有同等效力。