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Investor-State Arbitration in China: A Comparative Perspective

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Part of the book series: Ius Gentium: Comparative Perspectives on Law and Justice ((IUSGENT,volume 79))

Abstract

Notwithstanding China’s endorsement of investor-state arbitration (ISA) more than a decade ago, few investor claims have been initiated against it. These concerns are not peculiar to China. Economically and politically powerful states, not least of all the United States, are less frequently subject to ISA than poorer states for much the same reason. What is increasingly likely is that, China is preparing itself and its investors abroad for investor-state proceedings in the future. This is evident, for example, in China’s growing interest in the functioning of the International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), among other institutions, in its inclusion of ISA in its Model Bilateral Investment Agreement and in various regional and bilateral agreements it has concluded. China is now one of the biggest recipients of foreign investment in the world, as well as being a key player in outward foreign direct investment. In light of China’s rise in the foreign investment sphere and the consequence this may have on its engagement with investment claims, this Chapter has two primary purposes. The first purpose is to examine China’s limited experience with ISA under bilateral investment treaties (BITs). The second purpose is to identify how China is likely to develop its investor-state dispute resolution regime through strategic investment alliances with other states without sacrificing its distinctive national interests including those of its investors abroad.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    UNCTAD (2018b).

  2. 2.

    Gu et al. (2008), Neumayer and Spess (2005).

  3. 3.

    On the growth of FDI in China, see the statistics provided by Ministry of Commerce, People’s Republic of China (2018) at: http://english.mofcom.gov.cn/article/statistic/foreigninvestment/201812/20181202815485.shtml.

  4. 4.

    The Outline of this Plan is available at: http://english.gov.cn/official/2005-07/29/content_18334.htm.

  5. 5.

    See Cai (2006).

  6. 6.

    See Shan and Gallagher (2009, §§ 1.77–1.82).

  7. 7.

    Ministry of Commerce, People’s Republic of China (2016). On China as a driving force in outward bound investments across the developing world, see Buckley et al. (2007), Kaplinsky and Messner (2008).

  8. 8.

    For a list of China’s BITs, see: http://www.unctad.org/sections/dite_pcbb/docs/bits_china.pdf. The text of each BIT is available at: http://www.unctadxi.org/templates/docsearch____779.aspx. On China’s investment treaty partners, see: https://icsid.worldbank.org/ICSID/FrontServlet. See also, Kragelund (2009); Bennell (1997); Alden and Davies (2006); Davies (2008); Huliaras and Magliveras (2007).

  9. 9.

    Foreign Investment Law of the People’s Republic of China [中华人民共和国外商投资法], promulgated on 15 March 2019, effective 1 January 2020.

  10. 10.

    See UNCTAD (2018b).

  11. 11.

    See, e.g. ICSID, ‘List of Contracting States and Other Signatories of the Convention’, http://icsid.worldbank.org/ICSID/. See also, Willems (2011); Heymann (2008); Schreuer (2001), Chapter 1.

  12. 12.

    An example of China’s endorsement of ISA under the ICSID and UNCITRAL is contained in Articles 5 and 9 of the Germany-China BIT which came into force on 11 December 2005. Article 10(2) of that BIT provides an umbrella clause, providing that each state party shall respect its treaty obligations relating to investors from the other state party. On the provisions in China’s Model BIT, see e.g. Cohen and Schneiderman (2017), pp. 10–128.

  13. 13.

    Ekran Berhad v People’s Republic of China (ICSID Case No. ARB/11/15) (hereafter ‘Ekran Berhad’) and Ansung Housing Co., Ltd. v People’s Republic of China (ICSID Case No. ARB/14/25).

  14. 14.

    Hela Schwarz GmbH v People’s Republic of China (ICSID Case No. ARB/17/19) (hereafter ‘Hela Schwarz GmbH’).

  15. 15.

    Stern Hu, an Australian businessman of Chinese origins, was found guilty in 2010 by a Chinese court of stealing commercial secrets and accepting bribes. See Bath (2010).

  16. 16.

    See Rubinacci (2012); European Commission (2011).

  17. 17.

    See Smith (2010).

  18. 18.

    See Vladimir and Moise Berschader v Russian Federation, award in Stockholm under the auspices of the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, 21 April 2006, available at: http://italaw.com/cases/documents/142; RosInvest Co UK Ltd v The Russian Federation, award in Stockholm under the auspices of the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, 12 September 2010, available at: http://italaw.com/documents/RosInvestCoAward.pdf.

  19. 19.

    See Shan et al. (2012); Trakman (2011); Qin (2003), p. 490; Kueh (ed) (1997); Kinnear (2009).

  20. 20.

    But see Rooney (2007), arguing that even after China’s accession to the Washington Convention became effective, it was some years before China provided for ICSID arbitration in early BITs. On the ICSID, see generally, Trakman (2012a).

  21. 21.

    See Nottage and Weeramantry (2011), p. 25.

  22. 22.

    On China’s shifting position with regard to investment arbitration, see Bath (2011).

  23. 23.

    Moser (1998).

  24. 24.

    See e.g. Liu (2019).

  25. 25.

    See e.g. Democratic Republic of the Congo v FG Hemisphere Associates LLC (FACV Nos, 5, 6 & 7 of 2010) in which the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal, in a judgment regarding the ability of states to claim sovereign immunity before Hong Kong courts, decided by majority that foreign states enjoy absolute immunity from jurisdiction. See generally, Yang Xiaodong (2012) State Immunity in International Law. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2012).

  26. 26.

    See CIETAC: http://cietac.org/index.php?m=Page&a=index&id=42&l=en (hereafter ‘CIETAC 2015 Arbitration Rules’); International Centre for Dispute Resolution: http://www.adr.org/icdr, International Chamber of Commerce: http://www.iccwbo.org, London Court of International Arbitration: http://www.lcia.org/, Trakman (2006, pp. 1, 19–20), 26–28 (discussing private international commercial arbitration associations). See further, Trakman (2008, pp. 292–305).

  27. 27.

    CIETAC 2015 Arbitration Rule, Art 35(1).

  28. 28.

    CIETAC 2015 Arbitration Rule, Art 49(1).

  29. 29.

    CIETAC 2015 Arbitration Rule, Arts 31(1) and 32(2).

  30. 30.

    On the rules governing the appointment and conduct of arbitrators internationally, see e.g. Hong Kong Arbitration Ordinance 2000; Article 16, Arbitration Act 1996 of the United Kingdom; Article.12–18, Sweden Arbitration Act; and Chapter 3, Commercial Arbitration Rules of Japan Commercial Arbitration Association 1997. See also, Trakman (2012a).

  31. 31.

    Beijing Yingjia Real Estate Development Ltd. v Third Branch of BUCC (Beijing Union Construction Group Corporation) Ltd., Beijing Second Intermediate People’s Court, 2003, in Lin (ed) (2008), p. 42.

  32. 32.

    But see Beijing Longrun Huizhitong Real Estate Developments Ltd Corp. v Beijing Second Construction Projects Ltd Corp, Beijing Second Intermediate People’s Court, 2004 (in which it was held that an arbitrator’s failure to disclose that the defendant had nominated that arbitrator to another prior arbitration did not violate the Beijing Arbitration Association Rules. See generally Lin (2018).

  33. 33.

    Polytek Engineering Company Ltd v Hebei Import & Export Corporation, 16 January 1998, High Court of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Court of Appeal, Civil Appeal No. 116 of 1997, in van den Berg (ed) (1998, pp. 666–684).

  34. 34.

    Article 32 of CIETAC Rules:

    The arbitration tribunal shall hold oral hearings when examining a case. At the request of the parties or with their consent, oral hearings may be omitted if the arbitration tribunal also deems that oral hearings are unnecessary, and then the arbitration tribunal may examine the case and make an award on the basis of documents only.

    Cf Art. 35(2) of the 2015 CIETAC Rules:

    The arbitral tribunal shall hold oral hearings when examining the case. However, the arbitral tribunal may examine the case on the basis of documents only if the parties so agree and the arbitral tribunal consents or the arbitral tribunal deems that oral hearings are unnecessary and the parties so agree.

    See also, Article 45 of the Chinese Arbitration Association (CAA): ‘The evidence should be demonstrated only at the tribunal section, and the parties have the right to question the evidence’.

  35. 35.

    9 February 1999, Court of Final Appeal of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, FACV No. 10 of 1998, in van den Berg (ed) (1999, pp. 652–677).

  36. 36.

    See e.g. Han (2000, p. 191).

  37. 37.

    HCCT, No. 41, 2010.

  38. 38.

    HCCT, No. 41, 2010, § 30.

  39. 39.

    HCCT, No. 41, 2010, §§ 92–96.

  40. 40.

    [2011] HKEC 514.

  41. 41.

    On similarities and differences between international commercial arbitration and investment arbitration, see Nottage and Miles (2009).

  42. 42.

    See: Tza Yap Shum v The Republic of Peru (hereafter ‘Tza Yap Shum’), Decision on Jurisdiction and Competence, 12 February 2007; Final Award on the Merits, 7 July 2011, summary available at: http://www.italaw.com/documents/TzaYapShumAwardIACLSummary.pdf; Tza Yap Shum, Decision on annulment, ICSID Case No ARB/07/6, IIC 677 (2015), despatched 12 February 2015, International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, World Bank. See also Sect. 9 of this Chapter below.

  43. 43.

    See Tza Yap Shum, 19 June 2009. See also, Renta 4 S.V.S.A. v The Russian Federation, award on jurisdiction in Stockholm under the auspices of the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, 20 March 2009; Czech Republic v European Media Ventures SA [2007] EWHC 2851, 5 December 2007.

  44. 44.

    On such an expansive interpretation of a MFN clause, see e.g. MTD Equity Sdn Bhd and MTD Chile SA v Republic of Chile (ICSID Case No. ARB/01/07), Award, 25 May 2004; Emilio Agustin Maffezini v Kingdom of Spain (ICSID Case No. ARB/97/7), Decision on Jurisdiction, 25 January 2000 (hereafter ‘Emilio Agustin Maffezini’). On limits placed on the scope of an MFN clause in a BIT, see Siemens v Republic of Arg. (ICSID Case No. ARB/02/8), Decision on Jurisdiction, 3 August 2004 (hereafter ‘Siemens’). See generally on controversy associated with the meaning and scope of MFN clauses, Maupin (2011); Banifatemi (2009).

  45. 45.

    On an expansive interpretation of a MFN clause, see e.g. Emilio Agustin Maffezini, [54]–[56]; Siemens. But see Plama Consortium Ltd v Republic of Bulgaria (ICSID Case No. ARB/03/24), Decision on Jurisdiction, 8 February 2005.

  46. 46.

    See ICSID (2018).

  47. 47.

    ICSID (2018); see also Steingruber (2012).

  48. 48.

    Tza Yap Shum, Decision on Jurisdiction and Competence, 12 February 2007; Final Award on the Merits, 7 July 2011 See also Eliasson (2011).

  49. 49.

    Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Peru and the Government of the People’s Republic of China Concerning the Encouragement and Reciprocal Protection of Investments done at Beijing on 9 June 1994, entered into force 1 February 1995, 1901 U.N.T.S. 257 (hereafter ‘Peru-China BIT’), Art 1(2)(a).

  50. 50.

    Tza Yap Shum, § 31.

  51. 51.

    Tza Yap Shum, § 31.

  52. 52.

    Tza Yap Shum, § 32.

  53. 53.

    Peru-China BIT, Ch 10, Art 126.

  54. 54.

    ICSID Convention, Regulations and Rules, Art 26.

  55. 55.

    Peru-China BIT, Art 3(5). See also Eliasson (2011).

  56. 56.

    Tza Yap Shum, § 218.

  57. 57.

    Tza Yap Shum, § 88.

  58. 58.

    Tza Yap Shum, Final Award on the Merits, 7 July 2011.

  59. 59.

    Tza Yap Shum, Decision on annulment, ICSID Case No ARB/07/6, IIC 677 (2015), despatched 12 February 2015, International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, World Bank.

  60. 60.

    On the general applicability of an MFN clause, see Renta 4 S.V.S.A. v The Russian Federation, SCC Case No. ARB V024/2007, §101; RosInvestCo UK Ltd v The Russian Federation, SCC Case No. ARB V079/2005, § 130.

  61. 61.

    China Heilongjiang International Economic & Technical Cooperative Corp., et al. v Mongolia, Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) Case (China-Mongolia BIT 1991), http://www.pca-cpa.org/showpage.asp?pag_id=1378.

  62. 62.

    China-Mongolia BIT, Art 8. See also, China’s Model BIT, Art 4(iv).

  63. 63.

    See Ping An Life Insurance Company of China, Limited and Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Limited v Kingdom of Belgium (ICSID Case No. ARB/12/29) (hereafter ‘Ping An’). See also, Agreement between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Belgian-Luxembourg Economic Union on the Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Investments done at Brussels on 4 June 1984, entered into force 5 October 1986, 1938 U.N.T.S.305. See generally Neligan (2012).

  64. 64.

    See Ping An.

  65. 65.

    See Beijing Urban Construction Group Co. Ltd. v Republic of Yemen (ICSID Case No. ARB/14/30). See details at: https://www.iisd.org/itn/2017/09/26/a-look-into-chinas-slowly-increasing-appearance-in-isds-cases-dilini-pathirana/.

  66. 66.

    https://icsid.worldbank.org/en/Pages/cases/casedetail.aspx?CaseNo=ARB/14/30.

  67. 67.

    Ekran Berhad.

  68. 68.

    Ekran Berhad, proceedings suspended pursuant to the parties’ agreement on 22 July 2011. See: http://icsid.worldbank.org.

  69. 69.

    The provision for an ISA tribunal to adhere to ‘domestic legal procedure’ is contained in Article 4(ii) of China’s Model BIT.

  70. 70.

    This BIT article is modeled on Article 4(iv) of China’s Model BIT providing for compensation.

  71. 71.

    The terms of any settlement reached by the disputing parties is not publicly known.

  72. 72.

    https://www.iisd.org/itn/2017/09/26/a-look-into-chinas-slowly-increasing-appearance-in-isds-cases-dilini-pathirana/.

  73. 73.

    Hela Schwarz GmbH.

  74. 74.

    See: https://icsid.worldbank.org/ICSID/. See generally UNCTAD (2018a).

  75. 75.

    An Chen, from mainland China, was appointed to 2 annulment proceedings and to 1 ISDS arbitration tribunal. Teresa Cheng from Hong Kong SAR was appointed to 1 annulment proceeding and 1 ISDS tribunal.

  76. 76.

    The only annulment procedure to date involving China was Peru seeking an annulment of an ISA award in the case of Tza Yap Shum.

  77. 77.

    See: https://www.bilaterals.org/?-china-.

  78. 78.

    https://www.bilaterals.org/?-china-.

  79. 79.

    See, e.g. Latha Jishnu, Secretive Tribunals, Hidden Damages (Interview) (31 January 2012), http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/secretive-tribunals-hidden-damages. In this interview, van Harten observes that developing countries sometimes are the target of treaties directed at enhancing opportunities for foreign investors from other states and on occasions, leading to significant losses for those target countries. See also, Trakman (2012a).

  80. 80.

    An assertion of sovereignty would not be exceptional, given the historical practices of states. See e.g. Shan et al. (eds) (2008), Part Four (commenting on the complexity of sovereignty in international investment law); Stumberg (1998, pp. 491, 503–504), 523–525 (discussing sovereignty); Jackson (1990); Jennings and Watts (eds) (1992, p. 927).

  81. 81.

    See Trakman (2012b).

  82. 82.

    See Peterson (2012).

  83. 83.

    There is empirical data confirming such concerns. See Kantor (2011, p. 10), demonstrating that approximately 76% of the cases in which investment treaty awards were rendered up to June 2006 involved states that fell at or below Number 50 on the Transparency International’s 2008 Corruption Perception Index. See also, Franck (2007a). The World Bank’s Worldwide Governance Indicators demonstrated further that 68% of those States were in the bottom 60% of its Index for the ‘rule of law’: World Bank (2018).

  84. 84.

    See generally Cotula (2011); Agyemang (1988) (discussing the African signatories, particularly their consent to jurisdiction, their position in the institution, and the appointment of African arbitrators); Johnson (2010) (discussing BITs in relation to African countries).

  85. 85.

    Cotula (2011), Agyemang (1988), Johnson (2010).

  86. 86.

    See generally Tzanakopoulos (2011), Krever (2011), Vincentelli (2010).

  87. 87.

    See e.g. ICSID (2012), Garcia (2012). See generally Appleton (2010).

  88. 88.

    For commentary on these events, as well as investment arbitration in Latin America generally, see Appleton (2010).

  89. 89.

    Compare ICSID, List of Contracting States and Other Signatories to the Convention (http://icsid.worldbank.org/ICSID/) with World Bank, Member Countries (http://web.worldbank.org/).

  90. 90.

    See Bretton Woods Project (2009).

  91. 91.

    See Trakman and Ranieri (2013) Ch 10 (discussing the consequences of these comments for international investment law, ICSID, and the World Bank). See Krever (2011); UNCTAD (2010b).

  92. 92.

    For statistics on China’s FDI between January and May 2018, see: http://english.mofcom.gov.cn/aarticle/statistic/foreigninvestment/.html.

  93. 93.

    While the ICSID administers ISA, the UNCITRAL is not an administering authority. The UNCITRAL website states: ‘UNCITRAL does not administer arbitration or conciliation proceedings, nor does it provide services. in connection with dispute settlement proceedings’. See: http://www.uncitral.org/uncitral/en/uncitral_texts/arbitration_faq.html#dispute. Other institutions, most notably the PCA, administer investor-state disputes under the UNCITRAL Rules.

  94. 94.

    See Shihata (2009, pp. 2–35) (discussing old world views); Franck (2007b) (analyzing different views of the rule of law).

  95. 95.

    http://www.cietac.org/index.php?m=Page&a=index&id=390&l=en.

  96. 96.

    CIETAC Investment Rules, Arts 32 and 55.

  97. 97.

    ICSID (2018).

  98. 98.

    See Franck (2011). Franck undertakes a quantitative analysis of awards with Latin American countries as parties, and finds that ‘on the whole, … ICSID arbitration awards were not statistically different from other arbitral processes, which is preliminary evidence that ICSID arbitration was not necessarily biased or that investment arbitration operated in reasonably equivalent ways across forums’. See also Franck (2011, p. 998). On ICSID’s figures, including that foreign investors have won 48% of ICSID/Additional Facility cases, see ICSID (2018).

  99. 99.

    See Stiglitz (2010) (providing an account of these recessionary forces and their global consequences). On the New International Economic Order through the General Assembly of the United States, a Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States, and a Declaration on the Permanent Sovereignty of States over Natural Resources, see G.A. Res. 3281(xxix), U.N. GAOR, 29th Sess., Supp. No. 3150, UN Doc. A/9631 (12 December 1974) (Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States); G.A. Res. 3201 (S-VI), U.N. Doc. A/res/S-6/3201 (1 May 1974) (New International Economic Order). See also Trakman (2010, pp. 15–16), 20.

  100. 100.

    By far the most dominant view is that investment law is based on determinative principles of law. See, e.g. Dolzer and Schreuer (2008), Ch 1. But see Sornarajah (2013), Ch 17 and Appendix (providing a critique of this principled approach).

  101. 101.

    See generally Yackee and Wong (2010) (discussing transparency in international investment arbitration); Marian (2010) (discussing transparency in international investment arbitration).

  102. 102.

    See M.C.I. Power Grp. L.C. & New Turbine, Inc. v Ecuador (ICSID Case No. ARB/03/6), Annulment Decision, para 24 (19 October 2009); see also Hochtief AG v Arg. (ICSID Case No. ARB/07/31), 7 October 2011, (providing different interpretations of a treaty in the same case in the dissent of Christopher Thomas, Q.C.). See generally Puig and Kinnear (2010) (providing a systematic approach towards investment arbitration, through the prism of Chapter 11 of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)).

  103. 103.

    See generally Schill (2009), VI–VII (discussing non-ICSID methods of multilateralization and investment jurisprudence); Hindelang (2004), Salacuse (2007).

  104. 104.

    On the customary nature of international investment law and its contest with treaty made law, see for example, McLachlan (2008), Schwebel (2005), Dumberry (2010, p. 701) (for a rejection of the proposition that BITs represent customary law).

  105. 105.

    On the development of such international investment norms, see OECD Investment Committee, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, http://www.oecd.org/daf/inv/oecdinvestmentcommittee.htm. See generally Trakman (2006), von Staden (2011) (discussing how different investment policies can influence investment law).

  106. 106.

    On different interpretations of words used in BITs, see e.g. Peinhardt and Allee (2011), Weeramantry (2012).

  107. 107.

    See, e.g. Schreuer and Weiniger (2008, p. 1188) (discussing the absence of binding precedents, at least in principle, in international investment law).

  108. 108.

    See generally, Dolzer and Schreuer (2008) (investment treaties); Dolzer and Stevens (1995), Schreuer (2001, pp. 89–91).

  109. 109.

    See generally, Dolzer and Schreuer (2008), Ch 1; Schill (2009), Chs 1–2. See also, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, The Multilateral Agreement on Investment Negotiating Text (24 April 1998), http://italaw.com/documents/MAIDraftText.pdf.

  110. 110.

    For commentaries on selected model BITs, see Brown (2013). On attempts to redress consistencies in international investment arbitration, see Hofmann and Tams (eds) (2011), Paulsson (2007, p. 879).

  111. 111.

    For concerns that ISA arbitrators who are commercial, not public, lawyers will pay less attention to the public policy consequences of their awards for developing states than to the plain words of treaties devised by dominant treaty, see generally Schill (ed) (2010), van Harten (2007, pp. 122–151). See also, Reinisch (2011) (discussing the restrictive construction of investment agreements).

  112. 112.

    See, e.g. Dolzer and Schreuer (2008), Ch 1–2 (discussing the alleged foundations of investment law in contract and property.

  113. 113.

    On such differences, see, e.g. Salini Costruttori SpA and Italstrade SpA v Kingdom of Morocco (Decision on Jurisdiction), ICSID Arbitral Tribunal, Case No. ARB/00/4, 23 July 2001; (2003) 42 ILM 609; See also, Sasson (2010) (see especially Chapter Four for a discussion of property in investment treaty context); Garcia-Bolivar (2010) (discussing the requirements that must be met in order to invoke the ICSID’s jurisdiction); Schreuer (2001, pp. 90–91) (discussing jurisdictional requirements under Article 25 of the ICSID Convention).

  114. 114.

    Illustrating these variable conceptions of ‘fair and equitable’ treatment is a series of cases commencing with the ICSID award in Maffezini v Kingdom of Spain (Award on the merits) (ICSID Arbitral Tribunal, Case No ARB/97/7, 13 November 2000), [64]; MTD Equity Sdn Bhd and MTD Chile S.A. v Republic of Chile (ICSID Arbitral Tribunal, Case No ARB/01/7, 25 May 2004), [178]; and Laird (2004).

  115. 115.

    On such ‘legitimate expectations’, see Saluka Investments BV (The Netherlands) v The Czech Republic (Partial Award) (Arbitration under the UNCITRAL Rules, 17 March 2006), [304]; Waste Management, Inc v The United Mexican States (Final Award) (ICSID Arbitral Tribunal, Case No ARB(AF)/00/3 (NAFTA), 30 April 2004), [98]; International Thunderbird Gaming Corporation v The United Mexican States (Arbitration under the UNCITRAL Rules (NAFTA), 26 January 2006), [147]; GAMI Investments Inc v The Government of the United Mexican States (Final Award) (Arbitration under the UNCITRAL Rules, 15 November 2004), [100].

  116. 116.

    On the ‘margin of appreciation’ doctrine, see for example, Muhammad (2019), Bakircioglu (2007), Shany (2005).

  117. 117.

    On the varied and inconsistent interpretations of investment treaties, see Kurtz (2010) (Kurtz identifies three different methodologies of interpretation). But see Burke-White and von Staden (2008) (considering the interpretive challenges posed by provisions for non-precluded measures, such as for maintenance of security and public order).

  118. 118.

    On inconsistent ISA decisions in the CME/Lauder cases against the Czech Republic, see Lauder v Czech Republic (Final Award), ad hoc (UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, 3 September 2001); CME Czech Republic BV v Czech Republic (Partial Award), ad hoc (UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, 13 September 2001); CME Czech Republic BV v Czech Republic (Final Award) (UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, 14 March 2003); (2003) 62 IIC; See also Franck (2011, pp. 825, 826, 909–914).

  119. 119.

    The EU is in the process of restricting its member states from concluding BITs on the grounds that the EU represents EU states, see European Commission, EU Regulation Number 1219/2012 (21 September 2012), The New Regulation on Member States BITs. See also Bernasconi-Osterwalder (2012).

  120. 120.

    The UNCITRAL Rules are a general set of rules that can be applied flexibly to resolve any type of international dispute and are adopted widely globally, including for resolving investor-state disputes. Some of the amendments to the UNCITRAL rules were inspired by the rising use of the Rules in ISA. See: http://www.uncitral.org/pdf/english/texts/arbitration/arb-rules-2013/UNCITRAL-Arbitration-Rules-2013-epdf.

  121. 121.

    On similarities and differences between international commercial arbitration and investment arbitration, see Nottage and Miles (2009).

  122. 122.

    On the case for investor-state arbitration, see generally Dugan et al. (2008), Muchlinski et al. (eds) (2008).

  123. 123.

    See Emerson (2011). See also Trakman (2013), Kurtz (2012), Trakman (2012c).

  124. 124.

    See Vandevelde (2005, p. 172). See also UNCTAD (2018b).

  125. 125.

    See also Moser (1998).

  126. 126.

    See generally Yackee and Wong (2010) (discussing transparency in international investment arbitration); Marian (2010) (discussing transparency in international investment arbitration).

  127. 127.

    Suez Sociedad General de Aguas de Barcelona S.A. and Vivendi Universal S.A. v the Republic of Argentina (Order in Response to a Petition by Five Non-Governmental Organizations for Permission to Make an Amicus Curiae Submission) (ICSID Arbitral Tribunal, Case No ARB/03/19, 12 February 2007) (hereafter ‘Suez Sociedad General de Aguas de Barcelona S.A. and Vivendi Universal S.A.’); (Order in Response to a Petition for Transparency and Participation as Amicus Curiae) (ICSID Arbitral Tribunal, Case No ARB/03/19, May 2005). The petition challenged the decision by the Government of Argentina to accede to the ICSID treaty on grounds that it violates the constitutional guarantees of citizens of Argentina to participate in proceedings. While the government of Argentina was willing to hear the petition, the complainant company was not. However, the Attorney General of Argentina published on the internet the information in his possession on the related cases. See also Alfaro and Lorenti (2005).

  128. 128.

    See, e.g. GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft v Ukraine (Award) (hereafter ‘GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft’) (ICSID Arbitral Tribunal, Case No ARB/08/16), March 2011; Talsud, S.A. v United Mexican States (Award) (ICSID Arbitral Tribunal, Case No ARB(AF)/04/4), 16 June 2010; Gemplus, S.A., SLP, S.A. and Gemplus Industrial, S.A. de C.V. v United Mexican States (Award) (ICSID Arbitral Tribunal, Case No ARB(AF)/04/3, 16 June 2010) (hereafter ‘Gemplus’).

  129. 129.

    See, e.g. GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft (ICSID Arbitral Tribunal, Case No. ARB(AF)/04/4), 16 June 2010; Gemplus. Aguas del Tunari, S.A. v. Republic of Bolivia (Order Taking Note of Discontinuance) (ICSID Case No ARB/02/3), 28 March 2006. See further Vandevelde (2007) (providing an overview and analysis of the case).

  130. 130.

    Order in Response to a Petition for Transparency and Participation as Amicus Curiae (ICSID Case No ARB/03/19), 19 May 2005, [19] and [22].

  131. 131.

    On public statements by the NAFTA parties on open hearings, see Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (2009). This practice is further reflected in the interpretation of Chapter 11 by the Free Trade Commission, confirming the decision in Metalclad Corporation v. The United Mexican States (ICSID Case No. ARB(AF)/97/1), para 103 that ‘[n]othing in the NAFTA imposes a general duty of confidentiality on the disputing parties to a Chapter Eleven arbitration’.

  132. 132.

    See Gómez (2012).

  133. 133.

    ICSID tribunals began to admit third party interventions in 2007, after the ICSID’s new rule 37 came into force. See e.g. Biwater Gauff (Tanzania) Ltd. v United Republic of Tanzania (ICSID Case No. ARB/05/22), 2 February 2007; Suez, Sociedad General de Aguas de Barcelona, S.A., and Vivendi Universal S.A. See International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes, ICSID Convention, Regulations and Rules 95–96 (2006); Baldwin et al. (2006) (discussing ‘tactics’ that may be employed in attempts to ‘delay’ or ‘avoid’ compliance with ICSID Awards).

  134. 134.

    See e.g. Antonietti (2006).

  135. 135.

    See ICSID Rules of Procedure for Arbitration Proceedings, ICSID/15 (April 2006), Art 48(4). cf. ICSID Additional Facility Arbitration Rules, Art 53(3), http://icsid.worldbank.org/ICSID/ICSID/AdditionalFacilityRules.jsp (almost identical text). See also Franck (2004–2005, p. 1616), Maupin (2011, p. 162).

  136. 136.

    See, e.g. Nathan (2000).

  137. 137.

    See Bath (2011).

  138. 138.

    See, e.g. Brower and Steven (2001, pp. 193–195), Coe (2002), Gantz (2006); But see Dodge (2001) (presenting the case for modeling Chapter 11 on the World Trade Organization appellate process).

  139. 139.

    UNCTAD (2010a, p. xxiii).

  140. 140.

    On the UNCTAD’s most recent report on investor-state dispute settlement, see UNCTAD (2018a).

  141. 141.

    See e.g. Art 12(3) of the Singapore-China BIT, providing: ‘If a dispute involving the amount of compensation resulting from expropriation, nationalization or other measures having effect equivalent to nationalization or expropriation cannot be settled within six months after resort to negotiation. it may be submitted to an international arbitral tribunal established by both parties’.

  142. 142.

    See Tang (2005, p. 547).

  143. 143.

    Schneider (1998, p. 57).

  144. 144.

    See Qiao (2001), Ali (2011).

  145. 145.

    See Ali (2011). But see Kaufmann-Kohler and Fan (2008), Nakamura (2009).

  146. 146.

    On the complexity of sovereignty in international investment law, see Trakman (2018, p. 207).

  147. 147.

    See e.g. Kurtz (2010). Kurtz relies on the commentary of Joseph Stiglitz to assert that ‘“all countries engage in some discrimination” against foreign investors’, and concedes that ‘protectionism is a political temptation that is not confined to any political or legal tradition’ (at p. 11). But see Shen (2018, pp. 799–840).

  148. 148.

    See Mukand (2006).

  149. 149.

    See, e.g. Wolff (2010, pp. 1001, 1003, 1110–1111) (noting China’s protectionism); see also Shen (2010, pp. 183–185) (discussing limits placed on complainants under bilateral investment agreements with China).

  150. 150.

    On the successful use of the defense of necessity, see e.g. Continental Casualty Company v Argentine Republic (ICSID Case No. ARB/03/9), 5 September 2008, para 28. But see Pope & Talbot Inc. v Can., Award, part III (10 April 2001) (UNCITRAL Award). See also Pope & Talbot Inc. v Gov’t of Canada, Foreign Affairs & Int’l Trade Canada, http://www.international.gc.ca/trade-agreements-accords-commerciaux/disp-diff/pope.aspx?lang=en.

  151. 151.

    On governmental bureaucracies faced by foreign investors in Asia, in particular in China and Australia, see Bath (2012).

  152. 152.

    On the tension between private and public interests in investor-state arbitration with regard to the publication of awards, see Karton (2012). On the public interest rationale for amicus curiae interventions, see De Brabandere (2011), Mills (2011).

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Trakman, L.E., Liu, Q., Chen, L. (2020). Investor-State Arbitration in China: A Comparative Perspective. In: Chen, L., Janssen, A. (eds) Dispute Resolution in China, Europe and World. Ius Gentium: Comparative Perspectives on Law and Justice, vol 79. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42974-4_11

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