Research On China’s Export Restrictions Of Mineral Resources In WTO System

In now days, World Trade Organization plays an extremely important role ininternational trade.WTO always been advocating the spirit of free trade. Chineseeconomy has got profound success since its implementation of reform and openingpolicies. The development of industrialization caused the tremendous increment ofmineral resource. Even China was discovered abundant mineral resources; Chinacannot self-sufficient in mineral resource. Since China has been one of the fastestdeveloping countries in the world, China occupies a pivotal position in the globaltrade of mineral resources. Environmental pollution and ecological destructioncaused by uncontrolled exploitation of mineral resources. However, due to Chinalack of pricing power and the products was lowly added-value, the export price ofmineral resource is much lower than its value. Article20of GATT is a generalexception clause. This clause consider the protection of exhaustible natural resourcesas a special circumstances in free trade, Member States may take appropriatemeasures to restrict the export of raw materials. How to ensure sustainabledevelopment of mineral resource has become an important issue of countries. Intaking measures to protect their own resources in the process, China should fullyunderstand the general rules of the WTO on export restriction measures. And also, itneeds to give a comprehensive interpretation of general exception clause forresource protection and its free trade balance function. Continuous improvement ismade to connect Chinese law to those in WTO. And to strengthen the law onnational resources protection efforts, which achieve full protection of their ownresources from different aspects, is also helpful. Faced with the trade friction, whichwas caused by export restrictions in taking reasonable measures, China should useWTO rules more positively, and to safeguard China’s national interests, foreffectively protect resources.