Can shareholders sign contracts on behalf of the company?

Legal analysis: shareholders cannot sign contracts on behalf of the company. The signing of the contract must be authorized by the legal representative. After the establishment of the company, it is separated from shareholders in personality and has an independent subject position. Only the legal representative can represent the company, and shareholders cannot represent the company. Shareholders, that is, investors or investors of joint-stock companies, enjoy the rights of owners to share profits, make major decisions and choose managers.

Legal basis: Article 16 of the Company Law of People's Republic of China (PRC) stipulates that if a company invests in other enterprises or provides guarantees for others, it shall be decided by the board of directors or the general meeting of shareholders in accordance with the provisions of the articles of association; Where the articles of association stipulate limits on the total amount of investment or guarantee and the amount of individual investment or guarantee, it shall not exceed the prescribed limits. Where a company provides a guarantee for the company's shareholders or actual controllers, it must be resolved by the shareholders' meeting or the shareholders' meeting. Shareholders specified in the preceding paragraph or shareholders controlled by actual controllers specified in the preceding paragraph shall not participate in voting on matters specified in the preceding paragraph. The voting shall be passed by more than half of the voting rights held by other shareholders present at the meeting.