Key practical points:
• Entities must preserve valuable records and hand them to archives.
• Electronic archives have legal validity when conditions are met.
• Archives are generally opened for consultation after a set period from creation.
• Transfer and copying of archives abroad are restricted.
• Destroying, selling, or forging archival documents is prohibited.
💬 General consulting
Archives Law · Yalla China
中华人民共和国档案法 / Archives Law
Enacted: 2020-06-20 ✅ Effective: 2021-01-01
📝 Overview
A law governing the preservation, management, and access of valuable records and documents, including electronic archives. It sets confidentiality periods and terms for consultation and cross-border transfer.
This is general information only, not legal advice. For your specific case, consult a licensed lawyer.
📜 The law text / key provisions
💬 Practical reading
💬 This is a general reading/opinion for orientation — not the official legal text nor legal advice.
If you run a company or institution in China, keeping important records is a legal duty, not an option. Moving archives abroad needs care as it is restricted. General orientation, not legal advice.
📎 Official source
npc.gov.cn
🕒 Updated: 16 March 2026