国际贸易中的“国家安全”审视——基于美国“232调查”的考察

“National Security” in International Trade——An Analysis of the US “232 Investigation”

当前,美国接连对华实施"232调查"和"301调查",使中美经贸关系经受考验。其中值得关注的是,美国依据其1962年《贸易扩张法》第232条,以保障"国家安全"为由,对自中国等WTO成员的进口钢铁和铝产品进行征税。回顾历史,美国在对外贸易中开展"232调查"并不常见。对此,中国进行了相应反制并就本案将美国起诉至WTO,本案涉及的焦点将是GATT下"安全例外"这一敏感条款的解释。为此,研究梳理了美国历年来"232调查"的历史实践,并从国际法角度分析美国"232调查"的合规性,特别是借助WTO规则的解释方法和已有判例,对"安全例外"进行了系统性分析。基于本案的研究,亦为后续处理中美经贸摩擦提供了路径和理论参考。

Recently,the US President Trump has initiated the ＂232 Investigation ＂ and ＂301 Investigation＂ on China which pose great challenges to China-US economic and trade relationship. What is worth paying attention to is that the US President Trump announced an increase in tariffs on the imports of certain steel and aluminum on national security grounds pursuant to Section 232 of Trade Expansion Act of 1962. Most WTO members,including China,the EU and others,will be subject to the tariffs. However,the WTO-legality of the tariffs is highly controversial and will depend on whether they are justifiable under Article XXI of the GATT,known as the ＂national security＂exception. This article reviews the US＇ application of Section 232 in the past and discusses the major legal elements of the ＂national security＂exception based on the treaty interpretation and previous cases. It also offers recommendations on the approaches that China may take in response to the US＇ measures.China,as a responsible stakeholder and active defender of the multilateral trading system,should endeavor to utilize the WTO rules in dealing with the rise of protectionism of the US.