全國人民代表大會

中華人民共和國主席令（六屆第47號）

《中華人民共和國郵政法》已由中華人民共和國第六屆全國人民代表大會常務委員會第十八次會議于1986年12月2日通過，現(xiàn)予公布，自1987年1月1日起施行。

中華人民共和國主席 李先念
1986年12月2日


中華人民共和國郵政法

（1986年12月2日第六屆全國人民代表大會常務委員會第十八次會議通過 1986年12月2日中華人民共和國主席令第四十七號公布 自1987年1月1日起施行）

第一章 總 則
第一條 為了保護通信自由和通信秘密，保障郵政工作的正常進行，促進郵政事業(yè)的發(fā)展，以適應社會主義建設(shè)和人民生活的需要，根據(jù)《中華人民共和國憲法》，制定本法。
第二條 國務院郵政主管部門管理全國郵政工作。
國務院郵政主管部門根據(jù)需要設(shè)立地區(qū)郵政管理機構(gòu)，管理各該地區(qū)的郵政工作。
第三條 國務院郵政主管部門所屬的郵政企業(yè)是全民所有制的經(jīng)營郵政業(yè)務的公用企業(yè)。
郵政企業(yè)按照國務院郵政主管部門的規(guī)定設(shè)立經(jīng)營郵政業(yè)務的分支機構(gòu)。
第四條 通信自由和通信秘密受法律保護。除因國家安全或者追查刑事犯罪的需要，由公安機關(guān)、國家安全機關(guān)或者檢察機關(guān)依照法律規(guī)定的程序?qū)νㄐ胚M行檢查外，任何組織或者個人不得以任何理由侵犯他人的通信自由和通信秘密。
第五條 用戶交寄的郵件、交匯的匯款和儲蓄的存款受法律保護。除法律另有規(guī)定外，任何組織或者個人不得檢查、扣留。
第六條 郵政企業(yè)應當為用戶提供迅速、準確、安全、方便的郵政服務。
除法律另有規(guī)定外，郵政企業(yè)和郵政工作人員不得向任何組織或者個人提供用戶使用郵政業(yè)務的情況。
第七條 郵件和匯款在未投交收件人、收款人之前，所有權(quán)屬于寄件人或者匯款人。
第八條 信件和其他具有信件性質(zhì)的物品的寄遞業(yè)務由郵政企業(yè)專營，但是國務院另有規(guī)定的除外。
郵政企業(yè)根據(jù)需要可以委托其他單位或者個人代辦郵政企業(yè)專營的業(yè)務。代辦人員辦理郵政業(yè)務時，適用本法關(guān)于郵政工作人員的規(guī)定。
第九條 任何單位或者個人不得偽造或者冒用郵政專用標志、郵政標志服和郵政專用品。
第二章 郵政企業(yè)的設(shè)置和郵政設(shè)施
第十條 郵政企業(yè)及其分支機構(gòu)的設(shè)置標準，由國務院郵政主管部門規(guī)定。
第十一條 郵政企業(yè)應當在方便群眾的地方設(shè)置分支機構(gòu)、郵亭、報刊亭、郵筒等設(shè)施，或者進行流動服務。
城市居民樓應當設(shè)置住戶接收郵件的信報箱。
在較大的車站、機場、港口和賓館內(nèi)，應當設(shè)有辦理郵政業(yè)務的場所。
第三章 郵政業(yè)務的種類和資費
第十二條 郵政企業(yè)經(jīng)營下列業(yè)務：
（一）國內(nèi)和國際郵件寄遞；
（二）國內(nèi)報刊發(fā)行；
（三）郵政儲蓄、郵政匯兌；
（四）國務院郵政主管部門規(guī)定的適合郵政企業(yè)經(jīng)營的其他業(yè)務。
第十三條 郵政企業(yè)及其分支機構(gòu)不得擅自停辦國務院郵政主管部門和地區(qū)郵政管理機構(gòu)規(guī)定的必須辦理的郵政業(yè)務。
因不可抗力或者特殊原因，郵政企業(yè)及其分支機構(gòu)需要暫時停止或者限制辦理部分郵政業(yè)務，必須經(jīng)國務院郵政主管部門或者地區(qū)郵政管理機構(gòu)批準。
第十四條 郵政企業(yè)應當加強報刊發(fā)行工作。出版單位委托郵政企業(yè)發(fā)行報刊，應當與郵政企業(yè)訂立發(fā)行合同。
第十五條 郵政業(yè)務的基本資費，由國務院物價主管部門制定，報國務院批準。非基本資費由國務院郵政主管部門規(guī)定。
第十六條 各類郵件資費的交付，以郵資憑證或者證明郵資已付的戳記表示。
第十七條 郵票、郵資信封、郵資明信片、郵資郵簡等郵資憑證由國務院郵政主管部門發(fā)行，任何單位或者個人不得偽造。
仿印郵票圖案的管理辦法，由國務院郵政主管部門規(guī)定。
第十八條 售出的郵資憑證不得向郵政企業(yè)及其分支機構(gòu)兌換現(xiàn)金。
停止使用的郵資憑證，由國務院郵政主管部門在停止使用前一個月公告并停止出售，持有人可以自公告之日起六個月內(nèi)向郵政企業(yè)及其分支機構(gòu)換取有效的郵資憑證。
第十九條 下列郵資憑證不得使用：
（一）經(jīng)國務院郵政主管部門公告已經(jīng)停止使用的；
（二）蓋銷或者劃銷的；
（三）污染、殘缺或者褪色、變色，難以辨認的；
（四）從郵資信封、郵資明信片、郵資郵簡上剪下的郵票圖案。
第四章 郵件的寄遞
第二十條 用戶交寄郵件，必須遵守國務院有關(guān)主管部門關(guān)于禁止寄遞物品、限量寄遞物品的規(guī)定。
第二十一條 用戶交寄除信件以外的其他郵件，應當交郵政企業(yè)或者其分支機構(gòu)當面驗視內(nèi)件。拒絕驗視的，不予收寄。
用戶交寄的信件必須符合準寄內(nèi)容的規(guī)定，必要時郵政企業(yè)及其分支機構(gòu)有權(quán)要求用戶取出進行驗視。
第二十二條 郵政企業(yè)及其分支機構(gòu)應當按照國務院郵政主管部門規(guī)定的時限投交郵件。
第二十三條 無法投遞的郵件，應當退回寄件人。
無法投遞又無法退回的信件，在國務院郵政主管部門規(guī)定的期限內(nèi)無人認領(lǐng)的，由地區(qū)郵政管理機構(gòu)負責銷毀。
無法投遞又無法退回的進口國際郵遞物品，在國務院郵政主管部門規(guī)定的期限內(nèi)無人認領(lǐng)的，由海關(guān)依法處理。
無法投遞又無法退回的其他郵件的處理辦法，由國務院郵政主管部門規(guī)定。
第二十四條 郵政匯款的收款人應當自收到匯款通知之日起兩個月內(nèi)憑有效證明到郵政企業(yè)或者其分支機構(gòu)兌領(lǐng)匯款；逾期未領(lǐng)的匯款，由郵政企業(yè)或者其分支機構(gòu)退回匯款人。自退匯通知投交匯款人之日起滿十個月未被領(lǐng)回的匯款，上繳國庫。
第二十五條 寄遞郵件逐步實行郵政編碼，具體辦法由國務院郵政主管部門規(guī)定。
第五章 郵件的運輸、驗關(guān)和檢疫
第二十六條 鐵路、公路、水運、航空等運輸單位均負有載運郵件的責任，保證郵件優(yōu)先運出，并在運費上予以優(yōu)惠。
第二十七條 郵政企業(yè)在車站、機場、港口轉(zhuǎn)運郵件，有關(guān)運輸單位應當統(tǒng)一安排裝卸郵件的場所和出入通道。
第二十八條 帶有郵政專用標志的郵政車船和郵政工作人員進出港口、通過渡口時，應當優(yōu)先放行。帶有郵政專用標志的郵政車輛需要通過禁行路線或者在禁止停車地段停車的，由有關(guān)主管部門核準通行、停車。
第二十九條 郵件通過海上運輸時，不參與分攤共同海損。
第三十條 國際郵遞物品未經(jīng)海關(guān)查驗放行，郵政企業(yè)不得寄遞。國際郵袋出入境、開拆和封發(fā)，應當由海關(guān)監(jiān)管。郵政企業(yè)應當將作業(yè)時間事先通知海關(guān)，海關(guān)應當按時派員到場監(jiān)管查驗。
第三十一條 依法應當施行衛(wèi)生檢疫或者動植物檢疫的郵件，由檢疫部門負責揀出并進行檢疫；未經(jīng)檢疫部門許可，郵政企業(yè)不得運遞。
第六章 損失賠償
第三十二條 用戶對交寄的給據(jù)郵件和交匯的匯款，可以在交寄或者交匯之日起一年內(nèi)，持據(jù)向收寄、收匯的郵政企業(yè)或者其分支機構(gòu)查詢。郵政企業(yè)及其分支機構(gòu)應當在國務院郵政主管部門規(guī)定的期限內(nèi)將查詢結(jié)果通知查詢?nèi)恕?
查復期滿無結(jié)果的，郵政企業(yè)應當先予賠償或者采取補救措施。自賠償之日起一年內(nèi)，查明有本法第三十四條第（二）項和第（三）項情形之一的，郵政企業(yè)有權(quán)收回賠償。
第三十三條 郵政企業(yè)對于給據(jù)郵件丟失、損毀、內(nèi)件短少，依照下列規(guī)定賠償或者采取補救措施：
（一）掛號信件，按照國務院郵政主管部門規(guī)定的金額賠償。
（二）保價郵件，丟失或者全部損毀的，按照保價額賠償；內(nèi)件短少或者部分損毀的，按照保價額同郵件全部價值的比例對郵件實際損失予以賠償。
（三）非保價郵包，按照郵包實際損失價值賠償，但是最高不超過國務院郵政主管部門規(guī)定的限額。
（四）其他給據(jù)郵件，按照國務院郵政主管部門規(guī)定的辦法賠償或者采取補救措施。
第三十四條 有下列情形之一的，郵政企業(yè)不負賠償責任：
（一）平常郵件的損失；
（二）由于用戶的責任或者所寄物品本身的原因造成給據(jù)郵件損失的；
（三）除匯款和保價郵件以外的其他給據(jù)郵件由于不可抗力的原因造成損失的；
（四）用戶自交寄給據(jù)郵件或者交匯匯款之日起滿一年未查詢又未提出賠償要求的。
第三十五條 用戶因損失賠償同郵政企業(yè)發(fā)生爭議的，可以要求郵政企業(yè)的上級主管部門處理，對處理不服的可以向人民法院起訴；也可以直接向人民法院起訴。
第七章 罰 則
第三十六條 隱匿、毀棄或者非法開拆他人信件，侵犯公民通信自由權(quán)利，情節(jié)嚴重的，依照《中華人民共和國刑法》第一百四十九條的規(guī)定追究刑事責任；尚不夠刑事處罰的，依照《中華人民共和國治安管理處罰條例》第二十二條的規(guī)定處罰。
第三十七條 郵政工作人員私自開拆或者隱匿、毀棄郵件的，依照《中華人民共和國刑法》第一百九十一條第一款的規(guī)定追究刑事責任。
犯前款罪而竊取財物的，依照《中華人民共和國刑法》第一百九十一條第二款的規(guī)定，按貪污罪從重處罰。
第三十八條 故意損毀郵筒等郵政公用設(shè)施，尚不夠刑事處罰的，依照《中華人民共和國治安管理處罰條例》第二十五條的規(guī)定處罰；情節(jié)嚴重的，依照《中華人民共和國刑法》第一百五十六條的規(guī)定追究刑事責任。
第三十九條 郵政工作人員拒不辦理依法應當辦理的郵政業(yè)務的，故意延誤投遞郵件的，給予行政處分。郵政工作人員玩忽職守，致使公共財產(chǎn)、國家和人民利益遭受重大損失的，依照《中華人民共和國刑法》第一百八十七條的規(guī)定追究刑事責任。
第四十條 違反本法第八條規(guī)定，經(jīng)營信件和其他具有信件性質(zhì)的物品的寄遞業(yè)務的，由工商行政管理部門責令其將收寄的信件和其他具有信件性質(zhì)的物品及收取的資費退還寄件人，處以罰款。
當事人對處罰決定不服的，可以在接到處罰通知之日起十五日內(nèi)向人民法院起訴；逾期不起訴又不履行的，由工商行政管理部門申請人民法院強制執(zhí)行。
第八章 附 則
第四十一條 本法下列用語的含義是：
（一）郵件：指通過郵政企業(yè)寄遞的信件、印刷品、郵包、匯款通知、報刊等。
（二）信件：指信函和明信片。
（三）平常郵件：指郵政企業(yè)及其分支機構(gòu)在收寄時不出具收據(jù)，投遞時不要求收件人簽收的郵件。
（四）給據(jù)郵件：指掛號信件、郵包、保價郵件等由郵政企業(yè)及其分支機構(gòu)在收寄時出具收據(jù)，投遞時要求收件人簽收的郵件。
（五）國際郵遞物品：指中華人民共和國與其他國家和地區(qū)的用戶相互寄遞的印刷品和郵包。
（六）郵政專用品：指郵政日戳、郵政夾鉗和郵袋。
第四十二條 中華人民共和國締結(jié)或者參加的有關(guān)國際郵政事務的國際條約同本法有不同規(guī)定的，適用該國際條約的規(guī)定。但是，中華人民共和國聲明保留的條款除外。
第四十三條 國務院郵政主管部門根據(jù)本法制定實施細則，報國務院批準施行。
第四十四條 本法自１９８７年１月１日起施行。






POSTAL LAW OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

Important Notice: (注意事項)
英文本源自中華人民共和國務院法制局編譯, 中國法制出版社出版的《中華人民共和國涉外法規(guī)匯編》(1991年7月版).
當發(fā)生歧意時, 應以法律法規(guī)頒布單位發(fā)布的中文原文為準.
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 (法規(guī)全文)
POSTAL LAW OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
(Adopted at the 18th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the
Sixth National People's Congress, promulgated by Order No. 47 of the
President of the People's Republic of China on December 2, 1986, and
effective as of January 1, 1987)

Contents
Chapter I General Provisions
Chapter II Establishment of Postal Enterprises and Postal Facilities
Chapter III Classification of Postal Businesses and Postal Rates
Chapter IV Posting and Delivery of Postal Materials
Chapter V Transportation, Customs Examination and Quarantine
Inspection of Postal Materials
Chapter VI Compensation for Losses
Chapter VII Penalty Provisions
Chapter VIII Supplementary Provisions

Chapter I General Provisions
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 the livelihood of the people.
Article 2
The competent department of postal services under the State Council shall
administer postal services throughout the country.
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.
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.
According to stipulations of the competent department of postal services
under the State Council, postal enterprises shall establish branch offices
that operate postal businesses
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.
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.
Article 6
Postal enterprises shall provide users with fast, accurate, safe and
convenient postal services.
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.
Article 7
Postal materials and remittances shall be owned by senders and remitters
before they are delivered to recipients and remittees.
Article 8
Posting and delivery 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.
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.
Article 9
No unit or individual shall produce false copies or make fraudulent use of
special postal marks, postal uniforms and special postal articles.

Chapter II Establishment of Postal Enterprises and Postal Faci- lities
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.
Article 11
Postal enterprises shall establish branch offices, postal kiosks,
newspaper and periodical stands, mailboxes, etc., in places convenient to
the masses, or provide mobile services. Residents' mailboxes for receiving
letters and newspapers shall be installed in residential buildings in
cities.
Places shall be provided for handling postal business in larger railway
stations, airports, ports and guest houses.

Chapter III Classification of Postal Businesses and Postal Rates
Article 12
Postal enterprises operate the following businesses:
(1) posting and delivery of domestic and international postal materials;
(2) distributing domestic newspapers and periodicals;
(3) postal savings and postal remittances; and
(4) other suitable businesses stipulated by the competent department of
postal services under the State Council.
Article 13
Postal enterprises and their branch offices shall not arbitrarily close
down 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.
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.
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.
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.
Article 16
The payment of postage on various postal materials shall be indicated by
postage certificates or by postmarks showing postage paid.
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. The administrative measures on
making facsimiles of stamp patterns shall be formulated by the competent
department of postal services under the State Council.
Article 18
Postage certificates sold shall not be cashed in postal enterprises or
their branch offices. 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.
Article 19
The following postage certificates shall not be used:
(1) those which the competent department of postal services under the
State Council has announced as withdrawn from usage;
(2) those that have been postmarked or cancelled;
(3) those that are contaminated, incomplete or illegible due to fading or
discolouring; and
(4) stamp patterns cut from stamped envelopes, stamped postcards and
stamped aerogrammes.

Chapter IV Posting and Delivery of Postal Materials
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.
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. 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.
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.
Article 23
Undeliverable postal materials shall be returned to the senders.
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. 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. Disposal measures for other undeliverable and unreturnable postal
materials shall be formulated by the competent department of postal
services under the State Council.
Article 24
The remittees of postal remittances shall cash the postal remittances with
valid documents at postal enterprises or branch offices within two months
of receiving notice of a postal remittance. Remittances unclaimed when the
time period expires shall be returned to the remitters by postal
enterprises or branch offices. Returned remittances which are unclaimed
for a period of ten months, counting from the date of delivering the
return-remittance notice to the remitter, shall be turned over to the
state treasury.
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.

Chapter V Transportation, Customs Examination and Quarantine Ins- pection of Postal Materials
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.
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.
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.
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.
Article 29
When transported by sea, postal materials shall not be included in
arrangements for sharing common sea losses.
Article 30
Postal enterprises shall not post or deliver international postal articles
that are not examined and allowed to pass by the Customs. The Customs
shall supervise the entry and exit, opening, sealing and dispatching of
international mailbags. 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.
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.

Chapter VI Compensation for Losses
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. 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.
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.
Article 33
For loss, damage, destruction or missing contents of vouchered postal
materials, postal enterprises shall make compensation or take remedial
measures according to the following stipulations:
(1) For registered mail, compensation shall be made according to standard
amounts formulated by the competent department of postal services under
the State Council.
(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.
(3) For uninsured postal parcels, compensation shall be made according to
the actual damage 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.
(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.
Article 34
Postal enterprises shall not be held liable for compensation if one of the
following situations occurs:
(1) losses of ordinary postal materials;
(2) losses of vouchered postal materials caused by the user or due to some
characteristic of the posted articles per se;
(3) losses of vouchered postal materials, other than postal remittances
and insured postal materials, caused by force majeure; and
(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.
Article 35
If disputes over compensation for losses occur between users and postal
enterprises, users may request the competent department of postal services
at 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.

Chapter VII Penalty Provisions
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; 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.
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.
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.
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; 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.
Article 39
Postal personnel who refuse to handle postal business which should be
handled according to law or who intentionally delay the delivery of postal
materials shall be given administrative disciplinary sanction. 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.
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.
Parties concerned who refuse to obey the decision of punishment may bring
suit to the people's court within 15 days of receiving the penalty notice.
If parties concerned neither bring suit to the people's court nor
implement the decision before the time limit expires, the industrial and
commercial administrative authorities shall apply to the people's court
for mandatory enforcement.

Chapter VIII Supplementary Provisions
Article 41
The meanings of the following terms used in this Law are:
(1) postal materials: referring to mail, printed matter, postal parcels,
money orders, newspapers, periodicals, etc., posted and delivered by
postal enterprises.
(2) mail: referring to letters and postcards.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(6) special postal articles: referring to postal date-marks, postal tongs
for lead sealing and postal bags.
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.
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.
Article 44
This Law shall go into effect on January 1, 1987.