Dr Weihuan Zhou

Ph.D, LL.M, MIB (University of Sydney), LLB (SISU)

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I have great interest in the field of international economic law. My research focuses on the laws of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Customs law especially trade remedies, free trade agreements, Chinese commercial law, China’s regulations of international trade and investment, China’s integration into the international and regional economic order. I have published widely on these topics in a number of top international and domestic journals such as the Journal of International Economic Law, the World Trade Review, the Journal of World Trade, the International & Comparative Law Quarterly, the China Quarterly, the Melbourne Journal of International Law, the World Economy, the Manchester Journal of International Economic Law, the Global Trade and Customs Journal, the Asian Journal of WTO & International Health Law and Policy, the Australian Law Journal, the Chinese Journal of Comparative Law, and the Tsinghua China Law Review. My work has been cited widely, including in European Parliament briefings, reports of the Parliament of Australia and Australia’s Productivity Commission, as well as leading scholars in the field.

At UNSW Law, I am one of the first members of the Herbert Smith Freehills China International Business and Economic Law (CIBEL) Centre. The CIBEL Initiative is a university funded long term and strategic initiative to enhance research strength in the areas of international business and economic law of relevance to China in the twenty-first century. The CIBEL website is here: http://www.cibel.unsw.edu.au/. Globally, I am currently a member of the Executive Council of the Society of International Economic Law (SIEL), one of the world’s leading organisations for academics and academically-minded practitioners and officials in international economic law: http://www.sielnet.org/.

Prior to joining UNSW Law in 2015, I was a trade and commercial lawyer at a top-tier Australian law firm in Sydney. In that capacity, I advised the Government of China (represented by China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM)), Chinese industry associations, and numerous major producers and exporters from different countries in various trade remedy investigations in Australia. I also acted for major Chinese state-owned enterprises and private companies in a number of cross-border transactions including major Chinese investment into energy and resources, agriculture and property in Australia. Before that, I conducted research at the Faculty of Law, University of Sydney. My unpublished Ph.D thesis, completed in 2012, was on “Adjudicating De Facto Discrimination under the GATT National Treatment Rule: The Role of Regulatory Purpose”. Before that, I was a consultant at the WTO Secretariat. In that capacity, I developed two of the major online courses of the WTO including: “The Multilateral Trade Agreements” (554 pages) and “Market Access for goods and Non-Agricultural Market Access (NAMA) Negotiations” (382 pages), amongst other responsibilities. Currently, I continue to consult for leading Australian law firms on foreign trade and investment matters. I am a qualified lawyer in Australia.

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Books

Zhou W, 2019, China's Implementation of the Rulings of the World Trade Organization, Hart Publishing, https://www.bloomsbury.com/au/chinas-implementation-of-the-rulings-of-the-world-trade-organization-9781509913558/

Edited Books

Picker C; Wang H; Zhou W, (eds.), 2018, China - Australia Free Trade Agreement: A 21st-Century Model, Hart Publishing, Oxford; Portland, Oregon, https://www.bloomsbury.com/au/the-china-australia-free-trade-agreement-9781509915385/

Journal articles

Zhou W; Jiang H; Kong Q, 2020, 'Technology Transfer Under China’s Foreign Investment Regime: Does the WTO Provide a Solution', Journal of World Trade, vol. 54, pp. 455 - 480, https://kluwerlawonline.com/journalarticle/Journal%20of%20World%20Trade/54.4/41126

Peng D; Zhou W; Tu X, 2020, 'China’s Developing Country Status under the WTO: A Critical Analysis from Historical, Practical and Normative Perspectives', Pacific Journal, vol. 28, pp. 64 - 75, http://dx.doi.org/10.14015/j.cnki.1004-8049.2020.01.006

Zhou W; Gao H, 2020, 'US–China Trade War: A Way Out?', World Trade Review, pp. 1 - 13, http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1474745620000348

Zhou W, 2020, 'WTO Dispute Settlement Mechanism Without the Appellate Body: Some Observations on the US-China Trade Deal', Journal of International Trade and Arbitration Law, vol. 9, pp. 443 - 458

Zhou W, 2020, 'In Defence of the WTO: Why Do We Need A Multilateral Trading System?', Legal Issues of Economic Integration, vol. 47, pp. 9 - 42, http://www.kluwerlawonline.com/abstract.php?area=Journals&id=LEIE2020002

Noël S; Zhou W, 2019, 'EU’s New Anti-dumping Methodology and the End of the Non-market Economy Dispute', Global Trade and Customs Journal, vol. 14, pp. 417 - 424, http://www.kluwerlawonline.com/abstract.php?area=Journals&id=GTCJ2019048

Zhou W; Gao H, 2019, '‘Overreaching’ or ‘Overreacting’? Reflections on the Judicial Function and Approaches of WTO Appellate Body', Journal of World Trade, vol. 53, pp. 951 - 978, https://www.kluwerlawonline.com/journalarticle/Journal%20of%20World%20Trade/53.6/40691

Zhou W; Gao H; Bai X, 2019, 'Building A Market Economy Through WTO-Inspired Reform of State-Owned Enterprises in China', International and Comparative Law Quarterly, vol. 68, pp. 977 - 1022, http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s002058931900037x

Peng D; Zhou W; Yang G, 2018, 'National Security in International Trade Law: An Analysis of the US Section 232 Investigation', International Economics and Trade Research, vol. 34, pp. 91 - 104, http://dx.doi.org/10.13687/j.cnki.gjjmts.20180417.001

Xi J; Zhou W; Wang H, 2018, 'The impact of the China–Australia Free Trade Agreement on Australia's education exports to China: A legal and economic assessment', World Economy, vol. 41, pp. 3503 - 3523, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/twec.12736

Zhou W; Peng D, 2018, 'EU – price comparison methodologies (DS516): Challenging the non-market economy methodology in light of the negotiating history of article 15 of China’s WTO accession protocol', Journal of World Trade, vol. 52, pp. 505 - 533, http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3115861

Jiang H; Zhou W, 2018, 'CHINA'S INVESTMENT IN AUSTRALIA: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF AUSTRALIA'S FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW MECHANISM', TSINGHUA CHINA LAW REVIEW, vol. 10, pp. 187 - 223, http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000437524900003&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a

Zhou W, 2018, 'Appellate body report on EU-Biodiesel: The future of China's state capitalism under the WTO anti-dumping agreement.', World Trade Review, vol. 17, pp. 609 - 633, http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1474745617000507

Zhou W, 2017, 'Implementing WTO Rulings: Fifteen Years of China in the WTO', China's World, vol. 2, pp. 76 - 81

Zhou W, 2017, 'China’s Litigation on Non-Market Economy Treatment at the WTO: A Preliminary Assessment', Chinese Journal of Comparative Law, vol. 5, pp. 345 - 364, http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cjcl/cxx017

Zhou W; Zhang S, 2017, 'Anti-dumping Practices and China's Implementation of WTO Rulings', China Quarterly, vol. 230, pp. 512 - 527, http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0305741017000510

Zhou W, 2017, 'Chinese Investment in Australia: A Critical Analysis of the China - Australia Free Trade Agreement', Melbourne Journal of International Law, vol. 18, pp. 407 - 435, http://law.unimelb.edu.au/mjil/issues/current-issue

Zhou W; Xi J, 2017, 'China’s liberalization of legal services under the ChAFTA: Market access or lack of market access for Australian legal practices', Journal of World Trade, vol. 51, pp. 233 - 264

Zhou W; Percival A, 2016, 'Debunking the Myth of ‘Particular Market Situation’ In WTO Antidumping Law', Journal of International Economic Law, vol. 19, pp. 863 - 892, http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jiel/jgw071

Percival A, 2016, 'Panel Report on EU —Biodiesel: A Glass Half Full?—Implications for the Rising Issue of “Particular Market Situation”', The Chinese Journal of Global Governance, vol. 2, pp. 142 - 163, http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/23525207-12340019

Zhou W; Arner DW; Buckley RP, 2016, 'Overseas Law: China's Regulation of Digital Financial Services: Some Recent Developments', Australian Law Journal, vol. 90, pp. 297 - 300, http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000379658400005&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a

Zhou W, 2016, 'Fifteen Years on: Has China Implemented WTO Rulings? - A Perspective on 'Trade in Goods' Dispute', Asian Journal of WTO & International Health Law and Policy, vol. 11, pp. 155 - 212, http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2713543

Zhou W, 2016, 'Circumvention and Anti-Circumvention: Rising Protectionism in Australia', World Trade Review, vol. 15, pp. 495 - 522, http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1474745615000762

Zhou W; Noël S, 2016, 'Replacing the Non-Market Economy Methodology: Is the European Union’s Alternative Approach Justified Under the World Trade Organization Anti-Dumping Agreement?', Global Trade and Customs Journal, vol. 11, pp. 559 - 567

Zhou W; Arner DW; Buckley RP, 2015, 'Regulation of Digital Financial Services in China: Last Mover Advantage?', Tsinghua China Law Review, vol. 8, pp. 25 - 62, http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000378412900003&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a

Zhou W, 2015, 'Rethinking national treatment and the role of regulatory purpose: Lessons from the 'Theory of distortions and welfare'', Manchester Journal of International Economic Law, vol. 12, pp. 243 - 269

Zhou W, 2015, 'Australia’s anti-dumping and countervailing law and practice: An analysis of current issues incompatible with free trade with China', Journal of World Trade, vol. 49, pp. 975 - 1010

Zhou W, 2015, 'Assessment of ‘Material Injury’ and ‘Causation’: Recent Developments in Australia', Global Trade and Customs Journal, vol. 10, pp. 282 - 290

Buckley RP; Zhou W, 2013, 'Navigating Adroitly: China’s Interaction with the Global Trade, Investment and Financial Regimes', University of Pennsylvania East Asia Law Review, vol. 9, pp. 1 - 40

Zhou W, 2012, 'The role of regulatory purpose under Articles III: 2 and 4 - Toward consistency between negotiating history and WTO jurisprudence', World Trade Review, vol. 11, pp. 81 - 118, http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1474745611000449

Zhou W, 2012, 'US-clove cigarettes and US-tuna II (Mexico): Implications for the role of regulatory purpose under article III:4 of the GATT', Journal of International Economic Law, vol. 15, pp. 1075 - 1122, http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jiel/jgs041

Book Chapters

Williams B; Zhou W, 2020, 'If the WTO Were to Break Down Completely, Would We Stoop and Build It Up with Worn-Out Tools?', in Lewis MK; Nakagawa J; Neuwirth R; Picker C; Stoll P-T (ed.), A Post-WTO International Legal Order: Utopian, Dystopian and Other Scenarios, Springer, pp. 93 - 112, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45428-9_6

Nedumpara J; Zhou W; Subramanian A, 2018, 'Conclusion', in Nedumpara J; Zhou W (ed.), , Springer, Singapore, pp. 303 - 306, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-1331-8_12

Nedumpara J; Zhou W, 2018, 'Introduction: Non-market Economies in the Global Trading System—The Special Case of China', in Nedumpara J; Zhou W (ed.), , Springer, Singapore, pp. 1 - 11, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-1331-8_1

Zhou W, 2018, 'The Issue of ‘Particular Market Situation’ Under WTO Anti-dumping Law', in Nedumpara J; Zhou W (ed.), , Springer, Singapore, pp. 185 - 200, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-1331-8_7

Chou H-H; Zhou W, 2018, 'Embedded Liberalism and National Treatment', in Moon G; Toohey L (ed.), , Cambridge University Press, pp. 103 - 121, http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/9781108224949.009

Zhou W; Xi J, 2018, 'Breakthrough or Standstill? China's Liberalisation of Legal Services under ChAFTA', in The China-Australia Free Trade Agreement A 21st-Century Model, Hart Publishing, Oxford and Portland, Oregon, pp. 147 - 172, http://dx.doi.org/10.5040/9781509915415.ch-008

Zhou W; Arner D; Buckley R, 2018, 'Regulating FinTech in China: From Permissive to Balanced', in Lee KC; Deng R (ed.), Handbook of Blockchain, Digital Finance, and Inclusion, Elsevier, London; San Diego; Cambridge; Oxford, pp. 45 - 64, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-812282-2.00003-6

Buckley R; Zhou W, 2015, 'China’s negotiation of the international economic legal order', in China in the International Economic Order: New Directions and Changing Paradigms, pp. 151 - 169, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/CBO9781107449480.011

Buckley RP; Zhou W, 2015, 'Negotiating the International Economic Legal Order: Who Has Done Best, China or the West?', in Toohey L; Picker C; Greenacre J (ed.), China in the New International Economic Order: New Directions and Changing Paradigms, Cambridge University Press, online, pp. 151 - 169, http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107449480.011

Williams BG; Crowe S; Murray O; Zhou W, 2014, 'Some Selected Aspects of the Relationship Between World Trade Organization Law and General Public International Law', in Capaldo GZ (ed.), Global Community: Yearbook of International Law & Jurisprudence 2013, Oxford University Press, New York, pp. 203 - 224, https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-global-community-yearbook-of-international-law-and-jurisprudence-2013-9780199388684?lang=en&cc=au#

Other

Conference Papers

Zhou W, 2019, 'Theory of Distortions and Welfare as the Backbone of the WTO: If We Lose the Form, Do We Lose the Essence?', in Picker C; Nakagawa J (ed.), University of Tokyo, pp. 1 - 9, presented at Paradise Lost or Found? The Post-WTO International Legal Order (Utopian & Dystopian Possibilities), University of Tokyo, 09 January 2019 - 10 January 2019, https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3309354

Media

Zhou W; Gao H, 2020, China and the CPTPP: is it time to rethink Beijing’s involvement in the trans-Pacific trade pact?, South China Morning Post, https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3087725/china-and-cptpp-it-time-rethink-beijings-involvement-trans-pacific-trade?utm_source=googlenewsstand_web&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=20200607&utm_campaign=off_platform

Zhou W, 2020, Rethinking economic coercion as Australia–China relations fracture, East Asia Forum, https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2020/05/23/rethinking-economic-coercion-as-australia-china-relations-fracture/

Zhou W, 2020, Getting back to harvest: The way forward after China’s barley tariff, Lowy Institute, https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/getting-back-harvest-way-forward-after-china-s-barley-tariff

Zhou W, 2020, China might well refuse to take our barley, and there would be little we could do, The Conversation, https://theconversation.com/china-might-well-refuse-to-take-our-barley-and-there-would-be-little-we-could-do-138267

Zhou W, 2020, Phase One’s Dispute Settlement Mechanism a poor alternative to WTO Appellate Body, Hinrich Foundation, https://hinrichfoundation.com/trade-research/global-trade-research/thought-leadership/phase-ones-dispute-settlement-mechanism-a-poor-alternative-to-wto-appellate-body/

Zhou W; Gao H, 2020, US-China Phase One Deal: A Brief Account, Wolters Kluwer, http://regulatingforglobalization.com/2020/01/22/us-china-phase-one-deal-a-brief-account/

Zhou W; Campbell R; Slattery M; Behm A, 2020, Why China believed it had a case to hit Australian barley with tariffs, The Conversation, https://theconversation.com/why-china-believed-it-had-a-case-to-hit-australian-barley-with-tariffs-140633

Wagner M; Zhou W, 2019, The WTO Dispute Settlement System: Just another Victim on the Road to Tomorrow’s GATT?, International Law Association (ILA) Reporter, http://ilareporter.org.au/2019/07/the-wto-dispute-settlement-system-just-another-victim-on-the-road-to-tomorrows-gatt-markus-wagner-and-weihuan-zhou/

Gao H; Zhou W, 2019, The End of the WTO and the Last Case?, East Asia Forum, https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2019/07/10/the-end-of-the-wto-and-the-last-case/

Zhou W; Picker C, 2019, Triage Care for the WTO, East Asia Forum, https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2019/05/28/triage-care-for-the-wto/

Kong Q; Zhou W, 2019, A Balanced Agreement is Needed to End the Trade War, China Global Television Network (CGTN), https://news.cgtn.com/news/3d3d414f7a496a4e34457a6333566d54/index.html?mc_cid=b793305756&mc_eid=[UNIQID]

Gao H; Zhou W, 2019, Do We Need New Rules for China at the WTO?, East Asia Forum, https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2019/04/29/do-we-need-new-rules-for-china-at-the-wto/?mc_cid=b793305756&mc_eid=[UNIQID]

Zhou W; Kong Q, 2019, Why Australia’s Huawei Ban is Unjustifiable under the WTO, China Global Television Network (CGTN), https://news.cgtn.com/news/3d3d414d78517a4d34457a6333566d54/index.html?mc_cid=b793305756&mc_eid=[UNIQID]

Zhou W; Kong Q, 2019, WTO Decision Reflects Failure of U.S. Trade Protectionism, China Global Television Network (CGTN), https://news.cgtn.com/news/3d3d414f3167444f33457a6333566d54/index.html?mc_cid=b793305756&mc_eid=[UNIQID]

Kong Q; Zhou W, 2019, China’s New Law Outlaws Forced Technology Transfer, China Global Television Network (CGTN), https://news.cgtn.com/news/3d3d774d7a49444e33457a6333566d54/index.html?mc_cid=b793305756&mc_eid=[UNIQID]

Zhou W; Kong Q, 2019, The Misconceptions about China’s WTO Compliance, China Global Television Network (CGTN), https://news.cgtn.com/news/3d3d514f314d444d33457a6333566d54/index.html?from=timeline&isappinstalled=0&mc_cid=b793305756&mc_eid=[UNIQID]

Gao H; Zhou W, 2019, Myth busted: China’s status as a developing country gives it few benefits in the World Trade Organisation, The Conversation, https://theconversation.com/myth-busted-chinas-status-as-a-developing-country-gives-it-few-benefits-in-the-world-trade-organisation-124602

Zhou W; Gao H; Bai X, 2019, The Resurrection of State Capitalism in China, East Asia Forum, https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2019/08/06/the-resurrection-of-state-capitalism-in-china/

Zhou W, 2018, Barley is Not a Random Choice – Here’s the Real Reason China is Taking on Australia over Dumping, The Conversation, https://theconversation.com/barley-is-not-a-random-choice-heres-the-real-reason-china-is-taking-on-australia-over-dumping-107271

Zhou W, 2018, Shorten’s Plan to Triple Anti-dumping Penalties Misunderstands the Law, The Conversation, https://theconversation.com/shortens-plan-to-triple-anti-dumping-penalties-misunderstands-the-law-94728

Zhou W, 2017, Indonesia Challenges Australia’s Anti-Dumping Measures at the WTO, The Conversation, https://theconversation.com/indonesia-challenges-australias-anti-dumping-measures-at-the-wto-83723

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2018 CIBEL Seeds Grant (with Associate Professor Henry Gao at Singapore Management University) (Between Market Economy and State Capitalism: China’s State-Owned Enterprises and the World Trading System)

2018 University of New South Wales/Tsinghua-UNSW Collaborative Research Fund - Seed Grant（Co-investigator）(Financial Innovation and Regulatory change in the Context of De-globalisation: China's Approach and the Implications for Australia)

2017 University of New South Wales/SJTU-UNSW Collaborative Research Fund - Seed Grant（Chief Investigator）(China's Liberalization of Trade in Education Services under ChAFTA)

2016 University of New South Wales/SJTU-UNSW Collaborative Research Fund - Seed Grant（Chief Investigator）(China's Liberalization of Trade in Legal Services under ChAFTA)

2015 Early Career Research Teaching and Development Support Fund, UNSW Law

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My areas of expertise include all areas of international economic law and China, such as World Trade Organization, international trade disputes, free trade agreements, trade remedies, international investment, and all regulatory and policy aspects relating to China particularly China's economic reform and integration into the world economy.

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Zhou W; Gao H, 2020, US-China Phase One Deal: A Brief Account, Wolters Kluwer, http://regulatingforglobalization.com/2020/01/22/us-china-phase-one-deal-a-brief-account/