The promotion of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms is strongly linked to the idea of justice in the 21st century. National and international legislators increasingly offer new responses in this area with the aim of providing citizens with the opportunity to resolve their disputes outside state courts. Indeed, the global notion of ADR includes a multiplicity of institutions which have in common the purpose of facilitating the settlement of disputes outside courts. However, such generic references to ADR mechanisms, as well as the perceived centrality of the European approach, obscure important differences in the use, regulation and underlying philosophy of ADR in many countries of the world. This book focuses on a set of countries which accounts for more than half of international world trade. Its goal is to analyse in depth the various ADR devices present in relevant countries, such as Australia, China, England, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, and the USA. The book provides an in-depth analysis of the regulation of ADR in all these countries. Every chapter on national law analyses subjects covered by ADR devices, the existing legal regime, and its solutions and problems. The book provides a unique response to a topical matter of great legal and economic relevance. It is written by leading practitioners and scholars and provides a clear image of the existing framework from a legal, theoretical and practical standpoint. This book is essential for all those wanting to understand the reality of ADR in some of the most economically important countries of the world.

At the time of a paradigm change Foreign Investment, Strategic Assets and National Security is a timely analysis of the changing attitude towards foreign investment in major economies, namely the United States of America, the People's Republic of China, Australia, Canada, and Germany, France and the United Kingdom as representatives of the European Union. Foreign investment has grown steadily for decades and the de-regulation of international trade and investment was a widely accepted trend, particularly in developed countries. Increasingly, however, this development is encountered by opposition. Globalisation and socio-economic effects of mergers and acquisitions of domestic firms by foreign investors receive less support from the general public. Concerns about national security, protection of new technologies and competitiveness are raised. This leads national and regional legislators to develop new mechanisms to control foreign investments, particularly in light of national security. The widely adopted and traditional ex post approach linked to investment treaties is now enhanced by an increased focus on the phase prior to the actual implementation of the investment. This legal development and the new screening systems are captured in this book and it is explained how the present paradigm change is affecting the legal rules in practice. It is a must read for everyone working in the field.

This book brings together foreign investment and investment arbitration in Asia, the fastest growing economic region in the world. It provides a critical analysis of foreign investment, its benefits and the legal regimes of the jurisdictions studied at a time when investor-state disputes are on the rise and investment arbitration is under growing scrutiny. Governments are under greater pressure to balance the promotion of investment with public policy development and interests and calls for a permanent court for investment arbitration are getting louder.To assess future possibilities, this book takes stock of, brings together and analyses the legal regimes on foreign investment in 12 major Asian jurisdictions, namely China, Hong-Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. These constitute paradigmatic examples of what is happening in the legal framework of Asian foreign investment and the impact that the current system of investment arbitration has in all of them. The analysis shows the existence of changing positions and degrees of openness towards foreign investment in the region, as well as a distinct level of exposure to and involvement in investment arbitration.Predictably, their situation will change in the near future, at least in relation to investment arbitration. Proposals for reform have already been made and international institutions are working on the development of an alternative to the proceedings of investment arbitration as it is currently constructed and understood. Consequently, the last two chapters of this book are devoted to the analysis of these developments that will most probably affect the existing situation in the region.