15 USC § 142 - Definitions

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t15/s142"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "15 USC § 142 - Definitions"
title_number: 15
title_name: "COMMERCE AND TRADE"
section_number: "142"
section_name: "Definitions"
chapter_number: 4
chapter_name: "CHINA TRADE"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Sept. 19, 1922, ch. 346, § 2, 42 Stat. 849; June 25, 1936, ch. 804, 49 Stat. 1921; Treaty Jan. 11, 1943, 57 Stat. 767; June 25, 1948, ch. 646, § 32(a), 62 Stat. 991; May 24, 1949, ch. 139, § 127, 63 Stat. 107.)"
---


# § 142. Definitions

When used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates—

**(a)** The term “person” includes individual, partnership, corporation, and association;

**(b)** The term “China” means (1) China including Manchuria, Tibet, Mongolia, and any territory leased by China to any foreign government, (2) the Crown Colony of Hong Kong, and (3) the Province of Macao;

**(c)** The terms “China Trade Act corporation” and “corporation” mean a corporation chartered under the provisions of this chapter;

**(d)** The term “Federal district court” means any Federal district court, and the United States District Court for the District of Columbia;

**(e)** The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Commerce; and

**(f)** The term “registrar” means the China Trade Act registrar appointed under section 143 of this title.

---

**Source Credit**: (Sept. 19, 1922, ch. 346, § 2, 42 Stat. 849; June 25, 1936, ch. 804, 49 Stat. 1921; Treaty Jan. 11, 1943, 57 Stat. 767; June 25, 1948, ch. 646, § 32(a), 62 Stat. 991; May 24, 1949, ch. 139, § 127, 63 Stat. 107.)

## Editorial Notes

### Codification

Words “the United States Court for China” deleted from definition of “Federal district court” under the authority of Treaty between the United States and the Republic of China, , which was signed in Washington, , ratified by the United States Senate on , ratified by the President on , and ratified by the Republic of China on , by which the United States relinquished all extraterritorial jurisdiction and rights in China.

Congress by private , , provided for the relief of certain former employees of the United States Court for China for the period of  to , on which date the Court ceased to exist.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Change of Name

Act , eff. , as amended by act , substituted “United States District Court for the District of Columbia” for “district court of the United States for the District of Columbia”.

Act , substituted “district court of the United States for the District of Columbia” for “Supreme Court of the District of Columbia”.