Page 20 - 2021 Policy Watch

Policy Watch: A Milestone in Legal Development: China Promulgates a Civil Code

The Civil Code states that a factor shall present its iden- 2.人格权编
tity as a factor, attaching necessary evidence when issu-
ing a notice of assignment of accounts receivable to the 人格权制度在《民法典》独立成第四编，是中
debtor of accounts receivable32. Article 546 of the Civil 国民法历史的第一次。第四编人格权共6章，51
Code adopts Article 100 of the Contract Law, providing 条，从民法角度规定民事主体人格权的种类、内
that if a creditor assigns its credit without notifying the 容、边界和保护方式，对生命权、身体权、健康
debtor, the transfer will have no effect on the debtor. 权、姓名权和名称权、肖像权、名誉权和荣誉
The additional provision that in a factoring contract, a 权，以及隐私权和个人信息保护等具体人格权益
factor shall notify the debtor, not only recognizes the 的保护作出较为全面的规定。
effect of the notice, but also requires the factor to pres-
ent its identity, attaching the necessary evidence for a. 名称
debtor’s review, so as to protect the debtor’s interest.
根据原先的《民法通则》规定，法人的名称仅能
At the same time, the Civil Code also provides that a 使用和转让。但是，《民法典》修改了该规定，
creditor of accounts receivable and a debtor shall not 法人的名称可以依法决定、使用、变更、转让或
claim against a factor if they change or negotiate the 者许可他人使用。
basic contract without proper reasons, and they have
the right to choose to request the factor exercise in case 《民法总则》规定了法人、非法人组织的名称
of recourse factoring, the scope of the factor’s rights 权，但并没有对法人、非法人组织的简称保护作
in case of non-recourse factoring, the sequence of the 出规定。《民法典》第一千零一十七条规定“具
factor’s rights in case of several factoring contracts, etc. 有一定社会知名度，被他人使用足以造成公众混
淆的笔名、艺名、网名、译名、字号、姓名和名
The Interpretation of the Supreme People’s Court on the 称的简称等，参照适用姓名权和名称权保护的有
Application of the Guarantee System in the Civil Code 关规定。”
of the People’s Republic of China further elaborates on
how to deal with factoring and pledges of accounts re- 该规定将简称纳入名称权的保护范围。例如，
ceivable in the same accounts receivable group33. If the “阿里”“茅台”等都是相关主体的简称，根据
accounts receivable include factoring and pledge of ac- 社会公众一般认知其简称与企业是相联系的，应
counts receivable at the same time, the priority of the 当受到法律保护。这对于保护法人、非法人组织
party concerned will be the same as the sequence of the 的利益具有重要意义，尤其是在制止不正当竞争
factors at the conclusion of the factoring contracts; 行为的方面。
the registered factors will be prior to the non-registered
factors; if all the factors are registered, the former regis- b. 肖像权
tered factors will be prior to the later registered factors;
if all the factors have not been registered, the factors 传统肖像的含义限于以面部特征为中心的外部形
that has received the notice of assignment from the 象，即肖像应当再现自然人的面部特征。自然人
debtor of the accounts receivable shall have priority.34 的其他身体特征即便能够反映个人的外在形象,
也不应当属于肖像。但《民法典》第1018条第二
f. Partnership Contracts 款规定“肖像是通过影像、雕塑、绘画等方式在
一定载体上所反映的特定自然人可以被识别的外
The legal system of China’s partnership law integrates 部形象。”由此可见，《民法典》对于肖像权的
the respective adjustments in the general provisions 定义从“以面部为中心”转变为“可被识别”。
and chapter on contracts in the Civil Code, as well as 例如，某人特有的肢体动作、背影等，如果为相
关公众所知悉，能够对外展现个人的形象，则应
32 Civil Code, Article 764 当受到法律保护，从而扩大肖像权的保护范围。
33 Interpretation of the Supreme People’s Court on the Application
of the Guarantee System in the Civil Code of the People’s Republic of 原有的《民法通则》第一百条规定“公民享有肖
China, Article 66 像权，未经本人同意，不得以营利为目的使用公
34 Civil Code, Article 786 民的肖像。”《民法典》第1019条则规定“任何

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