独立担保突破了传统担保制度的从属性特征，它的最大特点是具有独立性，即独立担保合同独立于基础合同，担保人承担第一位的付款责任而不享有基于基础合同的抗辩权。因此，独立担保比从属性担保更可靠，更安全，更快捷，能够更好的保护债权人的利益，提高交易的效率。20世纪70年代，银行独立担保得到了广泛的应用并在国际经济交往中发挥着举足轻重的作用。自 1991年以来国际商会先后制定了一系列的国际公约和国际规范，很多国家在国内法上也对独立担保制度加以承认并制定了相关法规，独立担保制度已经趋于统一化。我国的最高法院以判决和说明的形式肯定了独立担保在国际活动中的有效性，否定了独立担保在国内经济活动中的有效性；《物权法》也只规定了担保合同的从属性；我国在国内法上还没有关于独立担保制度的明确规定。而且到目前为止我国还没有加入《联合国独立担保和备用信用证公约》。然而，从80年代起我国银行就开始使用银行独立保函，备用信用证的使用也越来越广泛，司法实践中也出现不少国内活动使用独立担保合同或独立担保条款的案例。笔者认为，随着我国经济的发展，独立担保业务必定会得到更广泛的应用。由于目前我国缺乏相应的国内法，国内的交易主体就无法在经济活动选择国内法作为准据法，如果大量的独立担保业务再被认定为无效，我国交易主体将处于十分不利的地位。而且，将独立担保制度应用于招投标，履约担保等国内经济活动中，能很好的促进交易活动的顺利进行。因此，笔者认为，在我国国内法上承认独立担保制度的有效性，并对独立担保制度的相关问题加以明确的规定，使银行独立担保业务有法可依是非常必要的。鉴于独立担保制度的优越性，独立担保在实践中的广泛应用，我国独立担保制度规定的缺乏，以及理论界关于独立担保制度研究较少的现状，笔者在借鉴国内外独立担保制度的研究成果的基础上，运用历史分析法、实证分析法、价值分析法以及比较归纳的研究方法，对独立担保制度进行系统研究。文章第一部分概括介绍了独立担保制度的产生，含义，渊源，种类等；第二部分详细介绍了独立担保制度的法律关系；第三部分归纳了独立担保制度的优点；第四部分以见索即付保函为例分析独立担保制度的风险，提出防范和控制风险的建议，使独立担保制度的优越性得到最大发挥；文章最后提出建立和完善我国独立担保制度的方法和建议。

The independent guarantee breaks through the subordinate characteristic in the theory of traditional civil law. The biggest characteristic of the independent guaranty is independence. The guaranty contract is independent to the main contract, guarantor undertakes the first payment responsibility without the defense based on the basic contract .So, the independent guarantee is more reliable , more efficient and safer . It can protect the interest of creditor and improve the trading efficiency. In the 1970s, the bank independent guaranty was widely used in international economic exchanges and played a pivotal role. International chamber of commerce has made a series of international conventions and international norms Since 1991, many countries acknowledge independent guarantee in national law and make some rules and laws. The independent guaranty has tended unified.China's Supreme Court approved the independent guarantee which is used in international economic activities, denied the effectiveness of independent guaranty in domestic economic activities through the judgments and instructions. The property law only stipulates the dependency of guaranty contract .There is no clear rules on independent guarantee in national law. As so far our country has not joined United Nations Convention on Independent Guarantees and Standby Letters of Credit. However, China's Banks have began using bank independent guarantee from the 1980s.The standby letter of credit is used more and more widely. It also appears many cases about independent guaranty contract or independent guaranty clauses in judicial practice. The author thinks that, With the development of our national economy , independent guarantee business will surely spread more widely. If there is no corresponding national law in our country, china's transaction subjects cannot choose domestic law as the governing choice in international economic activities, moreover, If a lot of independent guarantee be categorized as invalid, the interests of china's transaction subjects cannot be well protected in disputes. If the independent guarantee is used in domestic economic activities, particularly in the bidding, the performance guarantee and so on , trade activities can be promoted better. If a lot of independent guarantee be categorized as invalid, it will make our beneficiary disadvantage .Therefore, the author thinks that, it is very necessary to recognize effectiveness of the independent guarantee in our national law and make clear rules about independent guarantee to make bank independent guarantee business lawful. In view of the advantage of independent guarantee, the wide application in practice, the lack of rules on independent guarantee, the research about independent guarantee few. The author research the independent guarantee on the basis of research achievements home and abroad, using historical analysis, comparison and summarized research methods, the empirical analysis and value analysis method.The first part of article introduces the origin, meaning, types and so on. The second part introducesthe legal relation of independent guarantee system in detail ; The third part summarizes merits of the independent guarantee system ;The third part analyzes the risk of independent guarantee and puts forward to controlling the risks ,taking demand guarantee for example. Finally, the article proposes methods and suggestions to establish and consummate our independent guarantee system .