China's FTAs and GATS : The Consistency and the Achievements

This article discusses China's FTAs in the light of the GATS rules, focusing on the consistency of China's FTAs in relation to its GATS requirements. The consistency test uses the requirements under Article V of the GATS as the benchmark and bases for the comparison of China's commitment to the GATS and FTAs emphasis on the column ‘Limitations on Market Access'. Although China's FTAs are generally consistent with the GATS, some ambiguities caused by randomly listed sectors/subsectors and word formulation are found in China's FTA schedules. Moreover, this article also explores the achievement of China's FTAs, such as the investment regulations and dispute settlement mechanism