China ratifies United Nations Convention Against Corruption

The NPC Standing Committee on Oct. 27th ratified China's accession to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. As it is permitted to do, however, China declared itself not bound by Art. 66, Para. 2 of the Convention. The full text of Art. 66 is as follows:

Article 66
Settlement of disputes
l. States Parties shall endeavour to settle disputes concerning the
interpretation or application of this Convention through negotiation.
2. Any dispute between two or more States Parties concerning the
interpretation or application of this Convention that cannot be settled through
negotiation within a reasonable time shall, at the request of one of those States
Parties, be submitted to arbitration. If, six months after the date of the request for
arbitration, those States Parties are unable to agree on the organization of the
arbitration, any one of those States Parties may refer the dispute to the International
Court of Justice by request in accordance with the Statute of the Court.
3. Each State Party may, at the time of signature, ratification, acceptance or
approval of or accession to this Convention, declare that it does not consider itself
bound by paragraph 2 of this article. The other States Parties shall not be bound by
paragraph 2 of this article with respect to any State Party that has made such a
reservation.
4. Any State Party that has made a reservation in accordance with
paragraph 3 of this article may at any time withdraw that reservation by notification
to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.