On August 20th, FDI Moot Shenzhen 2023 was organized by the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration (SCIA) at the International Arbitration Building in Qianhai. STL moot team secured a spot in the final round for the first time and won the runner-up, advancing to the global competition successfully.
FDI Moot has widespread influence in the field of international investment law and is one of the three most renowned moot court competitions, along with the Jessup Moot and the Vis. Moot. FDI Moot aims to inspire more students to study international investment arbitration and cultivate legal talents in the field of international investment law. The FDI Moot Shenzhen has been held for four consecutive years and is regarded as an important platform for nurturing talents in the relative field. Anna Joubin-Bret, the Secretary of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, expressed that through FDI Moot Shenzhen, young Chinese talents in international arbitration have been trained, and their performance on the international stage has become increasingly impressive.
This year’s competition attracted 41 teams from different universities, including Hong Kong and Macau, with over 300 participants. The top eight teams in the Shenzhen round advanced to the global round directly. The panel of judges consisted of over 200 professionals from 46 countries and regions worldwide. Besides, the competition received strong support from 25 renowned international organizations and arbitration institutions, including the ICSID of the World Bank, the UNCITRAL, the ICC International Court of Arbitration, the Department of Justice of Hong Kong, and the Legal Affairs Bureau of Macau.
The STL team was coached by Ms. Qiu Xiaoya, the Director of Moot Court Competitions, Jiang Zisen, C.V. Starr Lecturer, and Zhang Xinyu, a student in her fourth year. Meanwhile, professor Mark Feldman provided academic support. Li Anhua, a student in his third year, offered guidance based on his moot experience. STL team members included 3L students Xing Jiabao, Xu Yuefangzhou, Zhou Yekun, and Li Mengchao.
After months of intense preparation, the STL team ultimately achieved outstanding results, winning the runner-up position and successfully advancing to the global round. Xing Jiabao was awarded “Best Oralist” for her exceptional performance, and Li Mengchao earned the title of “Honorable Mention of Oral Advocate” with his first-place finish in the preliminary rounds.
The STL team cannot achieve the second place without the efforts of the team members and the support of STL. In an interview with Shenzhen Special Zone Daily, Xing Jiabao, the “Best Oralist”, said that this competition helps the contestants to experience arbitration practice and pay attention to the cutting-edge legal issues in the field of international investment arbitration. She also expressed her gratitude to the teachers of the college for their guidance and the members from other STL moot teams for their support.
In the future, STL Moot team will continue to build on its strengths, improving its courtroom and paperwork writing skills. Wait for STLer’s another brilliant stage in the FDI Moot 2023 Globals!
