A contract is an agreement which sets forth binding obligations of the relevant parties. It is enforceable by law, and any party that fails to fu lfill his contractu al obligations may be sued and forced to make compensation, though most contracts do not give rise to disputes. The contract is based on agreement, which is the result of business negotiations. There are two types of business negotiations: oral and written. The former refers to direct discussions conducted at trade fairs or by sending trade groups abroad or by inviting foreign customers. Business discussions through international trunk calls (long distance call) are also included in this category. Written negotiations often begin with enquiries (询价) made by the buyers to get information about the goods to be ordered such as quantity, specifications（规格）, prices, time of shipment（delivery） and other terms. An enquiry is made without engagement (约束力) on the part of the enquirer. In case of a first enquiry, that is, an enquiry sent to an exporter whom the importer has never dealt with, information should be given in the enquiry as to how the name and address of the exporter have been obtained （get ）, the business line (业务范围) and usual practice of the importer, etc. so as to facilitate（方便于）the exporter’s work. In response to an enquiry, a quotation may be sent by the exporter which should include all the necessary information requ ired by the enqu iry . Sometimes, the ex porter may make an offer to an importer v olu ntarily . A firm offer（实盘） is a promise to sell goods at a stated price. In making a firm offer, mention shou ld be made of the time of shipment and the mode of pay ment desired in a...
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