Approved by the State Council on August 31, 1993; promulgated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on September 24, 1993; revised by State Council Order No. 821 on November 9, 2025.
Article 1 — These Measures are formulated in accordance with the National Emblem Law of the People’s Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as the “National Emblem Law”) for the purpose of correctly using the national emblem pattern of the People’s Republic of China in foreign-related activities.
Article 2 — These Measures shall apply to the use of the national emblem pattern in foreign affairs activities and by the state’s embassies and consulates abroad and other diplomatic missions abroad.
Article 3 — Diplomatic documents printed for the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the State Council, the Central Military Commission, the National Commission of Supervision, the Supreme People’s Court and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, and envelopes and letterheads used externally, shall bear the national emblem pattern.
Diplomatic documents printed for the persons specified in Item 2 of Article 8 of the National Emblem Law, and envelopes, letterheads, invitations, greeting cards and gift cards used externally in their official capacity, shall bear the national emblem pattern.
Article 4 — Diplomatic documents used by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and by the state’s embassies and consulates abroad and other diplomatic missions, and envelopes and letterheads used externally, shall bear the national emblem pattern.
Diplomatic documents used by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, special envoys of the state and government, and the heads of the state’s embassies and consulates abroad and other diplomatic missions, and envelopes, letterheads, invitations, greeting cards and gift cards used externally in their official capacity, shall bear the national emblem pattern.
Diplomatic documents used by vice ministers and assistant ministers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and envelopes and letterheads used externally in their official capacity, may bear the national emblem pattern as needed.
Article 5 — Diplomatic documents used by the Ministry of National Defense and envelopes and letterheads used externally; diplomatic documents used by the Minister of National Defense and envelopes, letterheads, invitations, greeting cards and gift cards used externally in his official capacity; and invitations to receptions for Army Day held externally in the name of the Ministry of National Defense, may bear the national emblem pattern as needed.
Article 6 — Diplomatic documents used by the relevant institutions of the Central People’s Government stationed in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the relevant institutions of the Central People’s Government stationed in the Macao Special Administrative Region, and envelopes and letterheads used externally; and diplomatic documents used by the principal responsible persons of the above institutions and envelopes, letterheads, invitations, greeting cards and gift cards used externally in their official capacity, may bear the national emblem pattern as needed.
Article 7 — Invitations to National Day receptions held externally in the name of the people’s governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government may bear the national emblem pattern as needed.
Article 8 — The seals used externally by the following institutions may be engraved with the national emblem pattern:
(1) the internal institutions responsible for foreign-affairs work of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the National Commission of Supervision, the Supreme People’s Court and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate;
(2) the relevant internal institutions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Macao Special Administrative Region;
(3) the internal institutions responsible for foreign-affairs work of the relevant ministries and commissions of the State Council;
(4) the foreign affairs offices of the people’s governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government;
(5) the foreign affairs offices of the people’s governments of cities under separate state planning, special economic zones and coastal open cities;
(6) the state organs handling entry and exit documents such as passports and visas.
Article 9 — The following documents and instruments shall bear the national emblem pattern or bear a seal engraved with the national emblem pattern:
(1) passports of the People’s Republic of China and other documents of a passport nature;
(2) visas, stay permits, residence permits and permanent residence identity documents of the People’s Republic of China;
(3) certificates of acquisition, renunciation and restoration of nationality of the People’s Republic of China;
(4) the relevant documents of diplomatic couriers and consular couriers of the People’s Republic of China, and the seals of diplomatic bags and consular bags;
(5) consular authentication certificates, apostilles and the like issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the foreign affairs offices of the local people’s governments authorized by it, as well as by the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Macao Special Administrative Region;
(6) notarial certificates, consular authentication certificates, marriage registration certificates, temporary certificates of nationality of ships and the like issued by the state’s embassies and consulates abroad;
(7) the relevant certificates issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the personnel of foreign diplomatic and consular missions in China and of headquarters or representative offices established in China by intergovernmental international organizations, and to foreign news agencies in China;
(8) the relevant certificates issued by the foreign affairs offices of the people’s governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government to the personnel of foreign consular posts in China and foreign news agencies permanently stationed locally.
Article 10 — Treaties and agreements concluded in the name of the People’s Republic of China, the Government of the People’s Republic of China or the government departments of the People’s Republic of China may be sealed with a sealing-wax stamp bearing the national emblem pattern; the instruments of ratification, approval, acceptance and accession of the above treaties and agreements, as well as the covers of treaty folders, shall bear the national emblem pattern.
Article 11 — When delegations and teams of the state participate in international sports competitions and skills competitions, the national emblem pattern may be used on the clothing of their personnel in accordance with relevant provisions.
Article 12 — Boundary markers and boundary monuments marking the national boundary line, marker monuments indicating the position of the territorial sea base points, and other markers used to demonstrate state sovereignty may use the national emblem pattern.
Article 13 — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall be specifically responsible for guiding the work related to the use of the national emblem pattern in foreign affairs.
Article 14 — These Measures shall take effect on the date of promulgation.
Disclaimer: This translation is provided for reference and informational purposes only. In the event of any discrepancy, the official Chinese text issued by the State Council of the People’s Republic of China shall prevail. This translation does not constitute legal advice.
Free PDF download of the complete article.
