Description: Explores the consequences for the internal structure of Hong Kong's system and its stated policy goal of coherence in its external relations.
Brief description:
Julien Chaisse is Professor in the School of Law at the City University of Hong Kong (CityU). He is an award-winning and internationally-respected expert on international economic law (trade, investment, and tax), cyberlaw, vitivinicultural law, and international dispute resolution.
His work has received wide recognition and has been cited by international courts/tribunals as well as the US and European Courts. He writes a regular column ("The Global Lawyer") for the Financial Times' fDI Intelligence Magazine, where he discusses current events in foreign investment law and politics. Julien Chaisse is the recipient of the Smit-Lowenfeld Prize from the International Arbitration Club of New York (2020) and the holder of the Humanities and Social Sciences Prestigious Fellowship (2022). He also sits on the editorial boards of several high impact academic journals around the world, and is Editor-in-Chief of the Asia Pacific Law Review and co-Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of World Investment and Trade.
Julien Chaisse has extensive experience working as a corporate board member and serving on the board of directors/advisory board for a number of international organisations. He is currently President and Chair of the Asia Pacific FDI Network, a leading organisation that focuses on researching foreign direct investment and facilitating cooperation among over 100 scholars and 50 institutions. He is an accomplished senior arbitrator who is listed on the panel of the major arbitration institutions. He was recently selected for the appointment of arbitrators in bilateral disputes under the EU's trade agreements. A number of his adjudications have been reported on by the local and international press. He is frequently called upon as an expert witness in international trade/investment litigation and arbitration to advise international organisations, governments, law firms, and private investors on private/public international law issues (eg, concessions contracts, special economic zones, investment structuring, state and international organisation immunities, and WTO accession), and has assisted over twenty jurisdictions in drafting trade/investment treaties and legislation.
Prior to joining CityU's Law School, Julien Chaisse taught in the Faculty of Law of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (2009-2019), where he served both as Director of one the Faculty's research centres and Director of the Faculty's PhD & MPhil Programme. Before moving to Hong Kong, he worked as deputy head of the working group on the rules and regulations for multilateral trade and investment agreements at the World Trade Institute in Bern, Switzerland (2006-2009), as a lecturer at Elite School Sciences Po Aix, France (2004-2006), and as a diplomat for France's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the French Embassy in New Delhi, India (2001-2004). He has held visiting fellowships and professorships at Columbia University, Melbourne University, University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, National Institute of Malaysian and International Studies, and Tokyo University.
Review Quotes:
"The book offers a carefully constructed analysis of Hong Kong's engagement with international economic law across unilateral, bilateral and multilateral dimensions. It makes a meaningful contribution to the literature on smaller jurisdictions, while also offering a valuable framework for thinking about the tensions between legal autonomy and geopolitical alignment. As such, it stands to inform and enrich future discussions on how semi-autonomous economies navigate the complexities of today's international legal order." --International & Comparative Law Quarterly
"The author provides an intelligent view and critical discussions. The book offers exceptional research into Hong Kong's IEL, looking at doctrines, policy effects and Hong Kong unique situation. The author highlights that the insights gleaned from the analysis bear significant implications for understanding Hong Kong's future trajectory in the global economic landscape. [...] Given its unique status as a significant international financial center and a Special Administrative Region of China, Hong Kong occupies a unique position in the global economy." --ICSID Review - Foreign Investment Law Journal "This extensive volume by Professor Julien Chaisse offers a thorough examination of Hong Kong's status within international economic law. It also explores the broader role of what might be described as "smaller jurisdictions" in the contexts of international trade, investment, and tax governance. Notably, the book provides a robust theoretical foundation for scholarly discourse, while offering practical insights for investors, legal professionals, and financial experts. [...] Through its critical and objective examination of Hong Kong's legal system, spanning nearly a century and covering unilateral, bilateral, and multilateral dimensions, this volume from Professor Chaisse serves as an essential resource for legal practitioners, scholars, and international economic diplomats interested in Hong Kong, China, and the broader Indo-Pacific region, as well as US-China and EU-China relations. It offers a comprehensive critique of Hong Kong's position within international economic law, positioning itself at the forefront of trade and investment system studies." --Trade, Law and Development "By examining Hong Kong's economic policies through its domestic, bilateral and multilateral endeavours, the book makes a laudable and ambitious attempt to map the territory's complex role and policy in IEL. In a time when trade is increasingly weaponized, Hong Kong's enduring commitment to IEL offers a timely reminder of the benefits that open markets and free trade can bring. [...] The detailed and prescient analysis in the book remains a vital resource for understanding the shifting legal and geopolitical landscape surrounding Hong Kong." --Journal of International Trade Law and Policy "Through its combination of multi-layered analysis, integration of legal and economic dimensions, and pragmatic guidance, Professor Julien Chaisse's book provides a deep and meaningful exploration of Hong Kong's complex role in international economic legal governance. It enriches understanding of Hong Kong's evolving contribution to global economic governance and offers timely and valuable theoretical and practical resources. [...] This book is highly recommended for researchers, policymakers, and professionals concerned with global economic and legal developments." --Xi'an Jiaotong University Journal "The book ... makes a methodological contribution to the literature. Chaisse adopts a constructivist sensibility that combines doctrinal analysis with comparative and institutional insights. This allows him to move beyond formal competence debates and instead focus on how legal capacity is constructed through practice ... Timely." --Asian Journal of International Law "Chaisse methodically analyzes the legal, economic, and institutional frameworks governing Hong Kong's international engagements, while also exploring the broader geopolitical and economic challenges that Hong Kong faces in the current global order. [...] Chaisse's extensive research and valuable insights make this book an essential resource for understanding Hong Kong's legal and economic framework, especially in the context of an ever-changing geopolitical environment. While the legal aspects of the book may pose a challenge for non-specialists, the importance of its relevance to policymakers, legal professionals, and scholars cannot be neglected. Chaisse provides a vital framework for understanding how Hong Kong continues to maintain its position as a key participant in IEL despite increasing political and economic pressures." --Journal of WTO and China "The book is highly recommended to those interested in Hong Kong's commercial regulation, its economic and legal policies as well as interplay with China and the global economy. It serves as an indispensable guide to understanding the unique and peculiar position of Hong Kong as an international economic law actor within a changing global environment as well as the challenges and opportunities it may face in the future." --International Trade Law & Regulation "Meticulously researched and exceptionally well-documented, it will prove indispensable for scholars, legal practitioners, and policymakers, particularly those with an interest in Greater China, Asian studies, or Indo-Pacific economic integration within the broader framework of international economic law." --International Community Law Review "The book is a valuable resource for those interested in international economic governance, providing essential perspectives on how smaller economies can traverse global economic pressures while maintaining their autonomy and relevance. [...] Chaisse presents a blueprint for understanding the broader implications of international economic law in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond." --Foreign Trade Review "Hong Kong as an Actor in International Economic Law is a thoroughly researched, pedagogical, and highly informative work that serves as a valuable resource and must-read for anyone interested in legal developments surrounding Hong Kong, SAR. Chaisse's lucid prose and methodical approach make complex legal concepts accessible to both specialists and general readers, offering insights into Hong Kong's unique position as a bridge between East and West in the development of IEL." --Chinese (Taiwan) Yearbook of International Law & Affairs