On the Latest Changes in the Interpretations of Reviewability of WTO Security Exception Clause and the Enlightenments thereof

WTO 安全例外条款可审查性解释新变及其启示

This paper focuses on the reviewability of the WTO security exception clause, discusses the dispute focus and the change of the position of the Dispute Settlement Body, and analyzes the enlightenment of this change to China. This paper, by means of textual interpretation and system interpretation, combined with the recently released panel reports of the Dispute Settlement Body, reveals the rationality of WTO's review of member states' invocation of the security exception clause. The finding indicates that the security exception clause is self-judging. However, the exercise of the right of self-judging by WTO member states shall also comply with the requirements of the general principles of international law and be subject to the objective review in good faith by the Dispute Settlement Body. In response to this change, this paper puts forward suggestions when China invoking the security exception clause in the future, including that it should be reasonably applied under the framework of general international law, and that existing cases should be invoked timely in order to maximize national security interests in international trade.

本文旨在围绕WTO 安全例外条款的可审查性，探讨其争议焦点、争端解决机构的立场变化，并在此基础上分析了这一变化对我国的启示。本文运用了文义解释、体系解释等方法，并结合争端解决机构的新近发布的专家组报告，揭示了WTO 对成员国援引安全例外条款进行审查的合理性。经过研究，本文认为，安全例外条款具有自裁决性。但成员方行使自裁决权亦应当符合国际法一般原则的要求，并接受争端解决机构的善意客观审查。针对这一变化，本文提出了中国在今后援引安全例外条款时的建议，包括应在一般国际法的框架下合理适用，以及适时援引既有案例，以便在进行国际贸易时最大限度维护本国安全利益。