On October 30, 2017, Professor Mark Feldman and John Aycock, director of STL’s international programs, visited the Malaysian Bar Council in Kuala Lumpur for invited presentations to Bar members. Professor Feldman, a scholar of international investment treaty arbitration, delivered remarks on “Mega-Regional Free Trade Agreements: Asia as 21st Century Rule-Maker.” His remarks focused on Asia as the new center of gravity for international investment law rule-making. This is occurring largely as a result of two developments: (i) the negotiation of two mega-regional free trade agreements, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), both based in Asia and both proceeding without the United States, and (ii) the stalling-out of a third mega-regional free trade agreement between the United States and the European Union (the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership).
Director Aycock devoted his presentation to legal developments in China’s Pearl River Delta, which included an introduction to STL’s unique program of legal education.
Professor Feldman and Director Aycock also visited the Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration during their visit to Malaysia.
