Environmental Protection under Free Trade --Analysis of China's Rare Earth Resources Export Restriction Case
Abstract
With the rapid development of today's society and economy, the exploitation and utilization of natural resources and the environment are also intensifying in various countries, and China is no exception. In order to realize the socialist modernization power, China's economic development can not be delayed, for the use of rare earth resources and the protection of attention is also essential, in this context, in 2012, the United States, the European Union, Japan v.China to WTO dispute settlement mechanism, on China's rare earth resources and other raw materials export restrictions on the lawsuit, so that a "war of defense of rare earths Since then, a "rare earth defense war" has been launched, in the case of The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (GATT1994) Article 20 of the general exceptions to environmental protection regulations can be invoked to apply, became the main focus of controversy in the case. Meanwhile, under the conditions of WTO trade freedom rules, how China coordinates its domestic policies and improves the environmental protection measures for natural resources is also an issue worth thinking about.
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