Research On Legal Problems Of CEPA

The pattern of regional economic cooperation between Mainland China and Hong Kong, Macao has undergone a transformation from the "Free Trade Areas" to the "Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement"(CEPA). CEPA is an regional trade arrangement. It covers three main aspects: tariff and non-tariff measures of trade in goods, the liberalization of trade in services, and trading investment facilitation, which fully developed China's advantage of "One country, four seats" in WTO and utilize the WTO exceptional regulations of regional free trade under the prerequisite of "One country, Two systems". At the same time, CEPA should deal with the issue on the balance of rights and obligations of WTO members within and without CEPA under WTO rules, with no precedent. The subscription and impact of CEPA is of great significance for the improvement of WTO system, and it also will bring immediate and profound effect to the economic legal systems of China, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan in the circumstances of "One Country, Four Seats".The thesis introduces the contents of two legal texts and its annex mainly, combines the WTO regulations, the promises of China's WTO entry and the existing laws of Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao to deeply excavate CEPA's legal character and finds its origin of legal effect. The thesis also introduces its development history, objective, legal principles, discusses the legal significance of CEPA and exposes its existing problems and finally supplies the solutions.