By Monique Carroll and Ariel Ye King & Wood Mallesons’ Dispute Resolution Group

We recently wrote about how foreign investors can use investment treaties to protect investments made abroad from political risk[i]. ‘Political risk’ in foreign investment is the risk that an investment will be adversely effected by a host country’s political or regulatory decisions. We now look more closely at how Chinese investors can gain investment treaty protection.

Whilst developed Western countries have historically been the greatest proponents of investment treaties, China has now entered into more investment treaties than any other country besides Germany. One can assume that the Chinese government’s motivation for agreeing to so many treaties is to increase the protections provided to Chinese investors abroad. It also signals a willingness to provide the same protections to investments made in China.
Continue Reading Guide to obtaining investment protection for Chinese investors

By Monique Carroll, Huang Tao King & Wood Mallesons’ Dispute Resolution Group

‘Political risk’ in foreign investment is the risk that an investment will be adversely affected by a host country’s political or regulatory decisions. These political or regulatory decisions might result in unfavorable tax legislation, revocation of a business license or, nationalization or ‘expropriation’ of an investment by, for example, the direct or indirect taking of control over the investment by the government. For instance, earlier this year the Argentinean Government announced that it would assume ownership and control of YPF, Argentina’s biggest energy company. At the time, YPF was privately and partly foreign owned and controlled.  

Foreign investors can take steps to minimize exposure to political risk. These steps include structuring the foreign investment so that it falls within the protections provided by an investment treaty to which the host country is a party.
Continue Reading Arbitration as A Tool to Manage Political Risk in Foreign Investment

作者:Monique Carroll 黄滔 金杜律师事务所争议解决

外商投资中的政策风险是指东道国的政策或日常决策可能会对投资产生不利影响的风险。这些政策或日常决策可能会导致不利的税收制度,企业营业执照被撤销,投资的国有化或“征收”,例如,政府直接或间接地控制外商投资。比如,今年初,阿根廷政府宣布其将取得阿根廷最大的能源公司YPF公司的所有权和控制权。当时,YPF公司是部分由外商个人所有和控制的。

外国投资者可以采取措施降低政策风险。这些措施包括调整投资结构,使其属于东道国作为缔约国的投资条约的保护范围。对于已经遭受东道国政府行为不利影响的外国投资者,则应当考虑是否可以寻求投资条约的保护。
Continue Reading 仲裁–控制外商投资中政策风险的工具