COMPANIES ACT 2016 - bankrupt 《2016 年公司法》- 破产
COMPANIES ACT 2016
Unless the context otherwise requires, any reference in this Act to a person being or becoming bankrupt or to a person assigning his estate for the benefit of his creditors or making an arrangement with his creditors under any written law relating to bankruptcy or to a person being an undischarged bankrupt or to any status, condition, act, matter or thing under or in relation to the law of bankruptcy shall be construed as including a reference to a person being or becoming bankrupt or insolvent or to a person making any such assignment or arrangement or to a person being an undischarged bankrupt or insolvent or to the corresponding status, condition, act, matter or thing, as the case requires, under any written law relating to bankruptcy or insolvency.
Under the Companies Act 2016, references to bankruptcy are to be interpreted broadly so as to include the corresponding concepts of insolvency, unless the context requires otherwise. This is an interpretative provision designed to ensure that the Act remains effective despite changes in insolvency legislation or terminology.
Accordingly, whenever the Companies Act refers to a person:
• being or becoming bankrupt;
• assigning his or her estate for the benefit of creditors;
• entering into an arrangement or compromise with creditors under bankruptcy legislation;
• being an undischarged bankrupt; or
• having any status, condition, act, matter, or circumstance arising under bankruptcy law,
those references are to be read as including the equivalent concepts under any written law relating to bankruptcy or insolvency. This includes a person who is or becomes insolvent, enters into a statutory arrangement with creditors under insolvency legislation, remains an undischarged insolvent, or is subject to any corresponding legal status or proceeding under insolvency law.
The provision recognises that insolvency laws may evolve over time, including changes to terminology, legislative frameworks, or legal procedures. Rather than limiting the operation of the Companies Act to references found only in traditional bankruptcy legislation, this provision ensures that equivalent concepts under successor or related insolvency laws are treated in the same manner.
This approach promotes continuity in the application of the Companies Act and avoids uncertainty where legislative reforms replace or expand the legal framework governing personal bankruptcy and insolvency. It also ensures that statutory disqualifications, eligibility requirements, duties, restrictions, and legal consequences linked to bankruptcy continue to apply to equivalent insolvency situations.
Unless the context otherwise requires, any reference in this Act to a person being or becoming bankrupt or to a person assigning his estate for the benefit of his creditors or making an arrangement with his creditors under any written law relating to bankruptcy or to a person being an undischarged bankrupt or to any status, condition, act, matter or thing under or in relation to the law of bankruptcy shall be construed as including a reference to a person being or becoming bankrupt or insolvent or to a person making any such assignment or arrangement or to a person being an undischarged bankrupt or insolvent or to the corresponding status, condition, act, matter or thing, as the case requires, under any written law relating to bankruptcy or insolvency.
Under the Companies Act 2016, references to bankruptcy are to be interpreted broadly so as to include the corresponding concepts of insolvency, unless the context requires otherwise. This is an interpretative provision designed to ensure that the Act remains effective despite changes in insolvency legislation or terminology.
Accordingly, whenever the Companies Act refers to a person:
• being or becoming bankrupt;
• assigning his or her estate for the benefit of creditors;
• entering into an arrangement or compromise with creditors under bankruptcy legislation;
• being an undischarged bankrupt; or
• having any status, condition, act, matter, or circumstance arising under bankruptcy law,
those references are to be read as including the equivalent concepts under any written law relating to bankruptcy or insolvency. This includes a person who is or becomes insolvent, enters into a statutory arrangement with creditors under insolvency legislation, remains an undischarged insolvent, or is subject to any corresponding legal status or proceeding under insolvency law.
The provision recognises that insolvency laws may evolve over time, including changes to terminology, legislative frameworks, or legal procedures. Rather than limiting the operation of the Companies Act to references found only in traditional bankruptcy legislation, this provision ensures that equivalent concepts under successor or related insolvency laws are treated in the same manner.
This approach promotes continuity in the application of the Companies Act and avoids uncertainty where legislative reforms replace or expand the legal framework governing personal bankruptcy and insolvency. It also ensures that statutory disqualifications, eligibility requirements, duties, restrictions, and legal consequences linked to bankruptcy continue to apply to equivalent insolvency situations.
《2016 年公司法》
除文意另有规定外，本法令中凡提述任何人士属于或成为破产人士（Bankrupt）、为债权人利益而转让其财产（Assigning His Estate for the Benefit of Creditors）、根据任何与破产有关的成文法（Written Law Relating to Bankruptcy）与债权人达成安排（Arrangement）或和解（Compromise）、属于未获解除破产（Undischarged Bankrupt），或涉及任何根据破产法产生的身份（Status）、状况（Condition）、行为（Act）、事项（Matter）或其他情况（Thing），均应解释为包括根据任何有关破产（Bankruptcy）或无力偿债（Insolvency）的成文法所对应的破产、无力偿债、转让、安排、身份、状况、行为、事项或其他相应法律概念（Corresponding Status, Condition, Act, Matter or Thing）。
根据《2016年公司法令》，除非文意另有规定，否则法令中有关“破产（Bankruptcy）”的提述，应作广义解释，并包括所有相对应的“无力偿债（Insolvency）”法律概念。
本条文属于一项解释性条文（Interpretative Provision），旨在确保《2016年公司法令》不会因破产法律制度的发展、法律名称的修改或无力偿债制度的改革，而影响法令的适用及执行。
因此，当《2016年公司法令》提述任何人士：
• 属于或成为破产人士（Being or Becoming Bankrupt）；
• 为债权人利益而转让其全部财产（Assigning His or Her Estate for the Benefit of Creditors）；
• 根据破产法律与债权人订立安排或和解（Entering into an Arrangement or Compromise with Creditors）；
• 属于未获解除破产人士（Being an Undischarged Bankrupt）；或
• 具有任何根据破产法律产生的身份、法律地位、行为、事项或法律程序，
均应解释为包括依据任何有关破产或无力偿债的成文法下所对应的法律概念。
因此，上述提述亦包括：
• 已经或即将成为无力偿债人士（Insolvent）；
• 根据无力偿债法例与债权人订立法定安排（Statutory Arrangement）；
• 属于未获解除无力偿债人士（Undischarged Insolvent）；或
• 根据无力偿债法律须承担任何相对应法律地位、程序、限制或法律后果的人士。
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条文的立法目的
本条文承认，破产法律制度会随着时代不断发展。
未来有关法律可能出现：
• 法律名称的修改；
• 法律制度的整合；
• 法律程序的改革；
• "破产（Bankruptcy）"一词改用"无力偿债（Insolvency）"等新术语；或
• 制定新的无力偿债法例取代传统破产法。
若《2016年公司法令》仅适用于传统破产法所采用的名称，则一旦相关法律改革，法令内大量条文便可能无法继续适用。
因此，本条文规定：
凡破产法律所涉及的法律概念，其后续、对应或等同的无力偿债法律制度，均应视为属于《2016年公司法令》所指的同一法律概念。
藉此确保法令能够持续适用于不断演变的无力偿债法律制度，而无须每当相关法律修订时便同步修改《2016年公司法令》。
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持续适用的重要性
本条文确保，《2016年公司法令》中所有与破产有关的法律后果，均可继续适用于相应的无力偿债制度，包括：
• 董事资格限制（Disqualification of Directors）；
• 公司高级人员任职资格（Eligibility Requirements）；
• 法定义务（Statutory Duties）；
• 法律限制（Restrictions）；
• 法律责任（Legal Consequences）；以及
• 其他依据破产或无力偿债法律所产生的权利及义务。
因此，即使未来相关法律采用不同名称或程序，只要法律性质相对应，《2016年公司法令》的有关规定仍然继续有效。
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广义解释原则
本条文体现现代法律解释的重要原则：
法律应着重于法律制度的实质内容，而非仅拘泥于法律名称或术语。
因此：
• "破产（Bankruptcy）"应包括相对应的"无力偿债（Insolvency）"制度；
• "未获解除破产（Undischarged Bankrupt）"应包括"未获解除无力偿债（Undischarged Insolvent）"；
• "债权人安排（Arrangement with Creditors）"亦包括无力偿债法律下的相应安排；以及
• 所有与破产有关的法律身份、程序、行为及法律后果，均应包括无力偿债法律下具有相同法律效果的对应制度。
06 Aug 2026
