On the 3 February, Associate Professor Weihuan Zhou spoke at the Webinar ‘National Security, the Rule of Law, and the WTO Dispute Settlement Mechanism: Comparing the US, EU, and Chinese Approach.’ This online conference was organised by University Bocconi Milan, University of Bologna, SIDI DIEcon, Re-Globe and was co-funded by the European Union.
Associate Professor Zhou joined a distinguished panel of three former Appellate Body Judges of the WTO including Emeritus Professor Giorgio Sacerdoti of Bocconi University, Professor James Bacchus of the University of Central Florida, and Professor Peter Van den Bossche of the World Trade Institute, Berne. The panel was chaired by Professor Elisa Baroncini of the University of Bologna.
This webinar instigated a timely debate on a systemic and existential challenge to the world trading system – the tensions between trade and security, and their implications for the rules-based economic order. The panel discussed a range of issues, proposals, and fresh ideas relating to the function of the WTO and its dispute settlement system in addressing the tensions between trade and security. The expansive use of unilateral trade policies in the name of national security puts into question the efficacy of the rules-based trading system which has for decades provided the certainty and predictability needed for governments, industries and business in international affairs and transactions. Finding a solution to this challenge is of critical importance to all stakeholders in global economic activities.
Associate Professor Zhou’s presentation discussed China’s perspective on these trade and security issues, and the consequences for the rules-based economic order. He also took part in the discussion of possible solutions including reforms of the WTO more broadly.
You can watch the conference here.
Associate Professor Weihuan Zhou’s research may be found at SSRN, Twitter @WeihuanZhou, and LinkedIn.