The newly revised Foreign Trade Law will come into effect on March 1, 2026

The Foreign Trade Law, which came into effect in 1994 and was first revised in 2004, has undergone two amendments in 2016 and 2022, and is being revised for the second time this year. This revision implements the decision and deployment of the CPC Central Committee on promoting high-quality development of foreign trade. It is an important measure taken by China against the backdrop of profound changes in the global economic and trade landscape and accelerated reconstruction of international rules. It is of great significance for promoting high-level opening up, maintaining foreign trade order, and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of foreign trade operators.

This newly revised law, consisting of eleven chapters and eighty-three articles, actively adapts to the development trends and environmental changes in foreign trade, coordinates development and security, and further enriches the overall requirements for foreign trade work, implements reform measures in the field of foreign trade, and optimizes the development environment for foreign trade.

The revision of the law further reinforces the legislative purpose, further embodies the deployment and requirements of the Party Central Committee regarding the high-quality development of foreign trade, explicitly incorporates "safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and development interests", and adds provisions such as "foreign trade work should adhere to serving the national economic and social development and promote the construction of a powerful trading nation".

In terms of implementing reform measures, provisions have been made for the country to proactively align with international high-standard economic and trade rules, actively participate in the formulation of international economic and trade rules, and elevate reform measures such as the negative list management system for cross-border trade in services, supporting and promoting the development of new forms and models of foreign trade, supporting and encouraging the development of digital trade, and accelerating the establishment of a green trade system to legal systems.

To further optimize the environment for the development of foreign trade, the law explicitly stipulates that the state shall strengthen the protection of intellectual property rights related to foreign trade, enhance the compliance level and risk response capability of foreign trade operators regarding intellectual property rights, establish a trade adjustment assistance system, and stabilize industrial and supply chains.

In addition, the newly revised Foreign Trade Law has enriched and improved the legal toolbox for foreign trade disputes, supplemented and improved corresponding countermeasures, and perfected relevant legal responsibilities.