Technical Barriers To Trade In STS View

With the development of economic globalization and trade liberalization, technical barrier to trade (TBT) has become the important issue of economic and social development. As the product of using technical means to achieve social objectives, technical barrier to trade is a typical problem which science technology and society (STS) should study. In the view of STS,the author analyzes the formation, nature, and global governance of technical barrier to trade (TBT).Based on revealing the nature of TBT, to analyze the dual function and the social construction process of TBT, and explore the objectives and mechanism of global governance based on social construction of technology.In chapter 2,Drawing from the "object-subject-object"relations in international trade, the author reveals the "social-technical" nature of technical barrier to trade(TBT),which is the socio-technical ensembles, on the basis of analyzing historical evolution and characteristics of technical barrier to trade (TBT).Technical barrier to trade(TBT) is established by social main body, such as State Government etc, but TBT acts on goods which contain techniques and technical process.The goal of TBT is to safeguard national security, to protect human health and safety and to protect the life of animals and plants, however, TBS results a kind of technical consequence which leads to the improvement of product performance and technical process.TBT has social content, because the technical code and standard are established according to the social objectives and risk level,but it also has technical means which are the requirements for technology. The social factors and technical actors in the TBT are mutual penetration and united as one.Chapter 3 discusses the double function of TBT. TBT has social and technical attributes,and has positive and negative effects.In the aspect of technical function, TBT's implementation to technical codes and standards will promote the global proliferation of advanced technology, but at the same time, it will lead to countries taking the technical standards of certain countries and form technological monopoly. In the aspect of social function, TBT can promote social progress, contribute to the environment, health and social goal realization and it is also conductive to promoting international trade.But it will also undermine social fairness and become tools of some countries implementing a disguised form of trade protectionism.Chapter 4 focuses on the social—construction process of TBT according to case analysis.According to Social construction of technology, all technical activities and artifacts are not pure technical but social phenomena and activities, which are the ends of the construction of goal-seeking actors.Government, industry, international organizations and professional bodies in the social construction of TBT play a role of leader, participant, coordinator and technical supporter. Through the analysis of the first integrative case dealt with by WTO dispute settlement body----the United States restricted the gasoline importing.The author reveals the social construction process, from the appearance of barrier, conflict and consultation to legalization.Chapter 5 talks about the global governance mechanism of TBT, review the existing mechanism and analyze double conflict in TBT:one is globalism and nationalism, the other is reason of tool and reason of value.So the paper points out the governance plight resulted by the conflicts among State Government, industry and international organization. It puts forward the positive function-based principles and social construction-based mechanism, and argues to build a global TBT system which is fair and reasonable.