Analysis On Defects Of Safeguard Measures And Research On China's Countermeasures

The system of safeguard measures is an important method adopted for trade protection in international economy, and has remained changeable ever since it became into being. In 1947, it was included into《GATT1947》, the global multilateral mechanism for trade disputes, however, due to safeguards' internal defects, many nations turned to "Grey Area" measures instead in the 1970s and 1980s. After the establishment of WTO in 1995, with safeguards becoming one of the three eligible trade protection methods in WTO, many improvements have been made in order to update and improve it. As China gradually takes part in the process of globalization, we are unavoidably faced with the problem of how to utilize the international rules wisely and play by them accordingly. Studying safeguards is an indispensable part of this critical task.This thesis is intended for providing theoretical analysis and practical countermeasures on safeguards. Chapter One deals with the historical development of safeguards and sets forth reasons of their formation. Chapter Two makes a short survey of safeguard system from various aspects, including current disputes on safeguards, differences between safeguards and the other two eligible protection methods, anti-dumping and anti-subsidy, and a theoretical analysis for global welfare, etc.. In Chapter Three and Four, the internal defects of safeguards system in 《GATT1994》and 《Agreement on Safeguards》are discussed respectively in detail. The last chapter focuses on the countermeasures related to safeguards from 3 different facets.The major viewpoints in the thesis are as follows: the formation and development of safeguards is in accordance with the trend of trade globalization; although allowed by WTO, safeguards inevitably decrease global welfare; the intrinsic defects of safeguards should and can be used by China when participating in international economic disputes and cooperation; to better understand and implement safeguards, it is pivotal to adopt up-to-date ideas and establish systems in compliance with the development of international trade.