8 Settlement Of Investor–State Disputes

Subject(s):

UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules — Parallel proceedings

The dispute-resolution provisions in bilateral investment treaties (BITs) have become the “ultimate” investor protection in modern investment treaties. This chapter reviews the different types of dispute-resolution provisions of the Chinese BITs. It first looks at the choice of arbitrations made in its treaties, ICSID, ad hoc, or other arbitration rules. It then continues to review the two main types of investor-state dispute-resolution clauses in China's BITs: restrictive—where the BIT permits international arbitration of disputes on the amount of compensation for expropriation only; and more liberal or expansive—which allows access to international arbitration for all disputes between the investor and host state. It then considers a topic of particular interest right now for investors and potential investors in China: the application of the MFN clause to dispute resolution. Finally, it looks at the applicable law to dispute settlement and the requirement to exhaust domestic remedies.