Title Page
ABSTRACT
Contents
CHAPTER I. Background & Introduction 11
1.1. The Overview of Most-Favored-Nation clause in International Investment Treaties 11
1.1.1. The definition of Most-Favored-Nation treatment 11
1.1.2. The development of Most-Favored-Nation treatment 15
1.1.3. The development of Most-Favored-Nation treatment in international investment treaties 18
1.2. The Origination of the Issue on the Application of Most-Favored-Nation Treatment 20
1.2.1. The introduction of international investment arbitration 20
1.2.2. The emergence of controversial issue on the application of MFN treatment 22
CHAPTER II. The judicial practices of the International Court of Justice on the scope of application of MFN 24
2.1. Anglo-Iranian Oil Co. case (U.K. v. Iran) 25
2.1.1. The introduction of case 25
2.1.2. The Judgment of the Court 27
2.2. Ambatieloes case (Greece v. the United Kingdom) 29
2.2.1. The introduction of case 29
2.2.2. The Judgment of the Court 29
2.2.3. The Award of the Commission of Arbitration 32
2.3. Other scholars' opinions over cases 34
CHAPTER III. ICSID arbitration cases on the scope of application of MFN 38
3.1. Cases approve the extended application of MFN and comments 39
3.1.1. Maffezini v. Spain 39
3.1.2. Siemens A. G. v. Argentina 43
3.1.3. Gas Natural v. Argentina, Suez and Vivendi v. Argentina, Suez and Interaguas v. Argentina 48
3.1.4. The comments and criticisms over cases 51
3.2. Cases disapprove the extended application of MFN and comments 55
3.2.1. Salini v. Jordan 55
3.2.2. Plama v. Bulgaria 60
3.2.3. Telenor v. Hungary 65
3.2.4. The comments and criticisms over cases 68
CHAPTER IV. Analysis on the related issues concerning the application of MFN clause to the international investment arbitration 72
4.1. Arguments on the main issues concerning the application of MFN clause to the international investment arbitration procedure 72
4.1.1. Rules for the interpretation of the MFN clause 73
4.1.2. Ejusdem Genneris principle 79
4.1.3. The standard of "most-favored" in the international investment arbitration 82
4.1.4. The particularity of the international investment arbitration provision 89
4.2. Analysis on the principal influential factors of the emergence of the relevant issues on the application of MFN clause 94
4.2.1. The ambiguity of the MFN clause in international investment treaties 94
4.2.2. Difficulty of the unified interpretation of the MFN clause 100
4.3. The recommended interpretation of the applicable scope of the MFN clause 102
4.3.1. The MFN clause cannot override the consent of the parties 102
4.3.2. The ordinary interpretation of the MFN clause 104
4.3.3. The claimant should prove the treatment in the third party is different and more favorable 106
CHAPTER V. The situation of application of MFN in China and some suggestions 108
5.1. Provisions of China's BITs on applicable object of MFN clause 108
5.1.1. Investments or returns of investors (Investments and returns of investors) 108
5.1.2. Investment and associated activities 109
5.1.3. Admission of investment and the matters in connection with investment 110
5.1.4. Activities and measures after admission of investments 111
5.2. Provisions of China's BITs on dispute settlement mechanisms 113
5.2.1. Settlement of dispute between an investor and a contracting party 113
5.2.2. The selectivity of arbitration 114
5.2.3. Applicable arbitration rules 115
5.2.4. The provisions of international arbitration jurisdiction are different 116
5.3. The influence of expanded application of MFN clause to China 118
5.3.1. The importance of expanded application of MFN clause to China 118
5.3.2. China's attitude towards the extended application of the MFN clause 120
5.4. Suggestions on the application of MFN clauses in China 123
5.4.1. The scope of application of MFN clauses should be as clear as possible 124
5.4.2. The introduction of the provisions of the retroactive force of the treaty 125
5.4.3. Setting a reciprocal exception on the application of the MFN clause 128
CHAPTER VI. Conclusion 130
REFERENCES 132