最高法发布关于独立保函的司法解释
New Interpretation from Supreme Court on Independent Guarantees
最高人民法院于2016年11月18日发布了《最高人民法院关于审理独立保函纠纷案件若干问题的规定》(“该规定”)，该规定将于2016年12月1日生效。
On November 18, 2016, the Supreme Court issues a new judicial interpretation on how to handle cases in relation to independent guarantees (the “Said Interpretation”). The Said Interpretation will become effective on December 1, 2016.
该规定明确了独立保函的定义，并规定如果保函载明见索即付、载明适用国际商会《见索即付保函统一规则》等独立保函交易示范规则、或保函文本内容，开立人的付款义务独立于基础交易关系及保函申请法律关系，其仅承担相符交单的付款责任，除非保函未载明据以付款的单据和最高金额，人民法院可以认为该保函是独立保函。
The Said Interpretation clarify the definition of independent guarantees, and specifies that the court can determine a guarantee is an independent guarantee if such guarantee has clauses specifying: (i) payment on demand; (ii) application of Uniform Rules for Demand Guarantees or other typical transaction rules for independent guarantee; or the clauses or the payment obligation under the guarantee is independent of the basic transaction the guarantee is issued for and application of guarantee, and only related to pay upon delivery of complied documents, unless such guarantee fails to specify the documents based on which the payment shall be made or the maximum amount.
根据该规定，独立保函不适用担保法关于一般保证或连带保证的规定，并且法院也不会支持当事人以独立保函记载了对应的基础交易而应适用担保法中关于一般保证或连带保证的规定。
According to the Said Interpretation, clauses regarding ordinary guarantee and joint responsibility guarantee stipulated in PRC Security Law are not applicable to independent guarantees. PRC court will also not support a party’s claim that clauses regarding ordinary guarantee and joint responsibility guarantee stipulated in PRC Security Law shall be applicable to independent guarantees even if an independent guarantee lists the relevant basic transaction the independent guarantee is issued for.
此外，该规定还规定了如何认定独立保函欺诈、中止支付独立保函下的款项及独立保函案件的适用法律和管辖。
In addition, the Said Interpretation have specified how to determine fraud in independent guarantees, how to suspend the payment under independent guarantees and how to determine the governing law and jurisdiction on cases involving independent guarantees.
