试论中国—东盟自由贸易区争端解决机制

A Legal Interpretation of the Agreement on Dispute Settlement Mechanism for the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area

自由贸易区的建立促使其成员方的国际贸易和投资自由化,同时,也使国际争端增多。国际争端的恰当解决,很大程度依靠于争端解决的方式,法律方式在当今社会中因为其有效而可以预期,因此逐渐成为人们喜欢采用的方法。中国—东盟自由贸易区(CAFTA)顺其潮流,制订和签署了《中国—东盟全面经济合作框架协议的争端解决机制协定》。如何解读并评价这一解决机制成了当务之急,中国和东盟各国应在实践中不断地加以改进和完善。

The establishment of a free trade area （FTA） enables the member states in FTA to have free international trade and investment. However, it also gives rise to many international disputes. The appropriate settlement of the international disputes depends to a great extent on the ways used to solve these problems. Nowadays legal methods are becoming increasingly popular with their effectiveness and predictability. Therefore, China-ASEAN Free Trade Area （CAFTA） enacted and subscribed the ＂Agreement on Dispute Settlement Mechanism of the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Co-Operation Between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the People＇s Republic of China＂ to follow the trend. The paper is to explore the rules in detail in regard of the scope, the ways and the proceedings to resolve the disputes. Analyzing and estimating the advantages and shortcomings in the system of dispute settlement, the author makes some suggestions so as to make the Dispute Settlement Mechanism of CAFTA play a better role in CAFTA＇s development.