中资数据处理企业在美国投资面临的安全审查及法律应对——以TikTok在美国被封杀为例

Security Review of Chinese Data Processing Enterprises’Investment in America and Its Legal Coping Strategies

在国际社会政治权力结构发生变化的情势下,美国经济民族主义和保护主义兴起,借助于投资安全审查频频干预中国公司在美投资和经营活动。2020年8月,美国总统根据CFIUS对字节跳动公司收购Musical.ly公司业务的投资审查结论,以保护国家安全为由,要求字节跳动公司出售TikTok应用程序及业务。美国对TikTok的封杀反映了美国2018年《外国投资审查现代化法》对非美国境内投资项目亦具有管辖权,并对涉及美国公民敏感信息和来自于特殊国家的投资项目严加审查。尽管其行为构成了贸易及投资限制措施,但可借助于贸易及投资协定下国家安全例外条款豁免条约义务。对此,中国政府和企业应在安全例外条款的构建、东道国投资法规合规审查、寻求国内司法救济、投资条约挑选等方面做好法律应对。

In the context of power shift in international political society,the emotion of economic nationalism and protectionism rise in the US,and security review measures are abused by American administrative agencies to intervene in the investment and operation of Chinese enterprises.In August of 2020,the US President ordered the ByteDance Company to sell its TikTok App in the name of protecting the US national security,based on the decision made by the CFIUS on ByteDance’s acquisition of Musical.ly.The US’s ban on TikTok reflects that 2018 Foreign Investment Review Risk Modernization Act is applicable to investments made outside the US territory,and it reviews strictly on the transactions relating to sensitive data of US citizens or programs origins from special concerned country.Although the ban constitutes a trade and investment restrictive measure,it can be exempted by the national security clause of the trade and investment treaties signed by the US.Chinese government and enterprises shall protect their interest through measures such as rule-making of national security clause,investment law conformity investigation before market access,resorting to domestic judicial remedies in host states,and investment treaty shopping.