Peking University School of Transnational Law 2025 Annual Summary of Moot Court Competitions

Since its founding in 2008, Peking University School of Transnational Law (STL) has remained committed to its core mission of cultivating practice-oriented, high-level legal professionals urgently needed by the nation in the field of foreign-related legal affairs. International moot court competitions serve as a key platform through which STL advances this national strategy. The School has long encouraged students to participate in a wide range of international moot court competitions and provides comprehensive support, aiming to create high-quality opportunities for students to engage firsthand in international legal practice, while helping them unlock their growth potential and stimulate intrinsic motivation for learning.

Regardless of competition outcomes, every participating student gains solid professional legal knowledge, strengthens teamwork skills, and acquires valuable cross-cultural communication experience throughout the preparation and competition process. Thanks to STL’s strong emphasis on moot court activities and its distinctive talent cultivation system, both the number of competitions entered and the scale of student participation have continued to grow steadily in recent years, consistently ranking among the leading institutions nationwide. Moreover, STL teams have frequently achieved outstanding results in major international moot court competitions, further demonstrating the School’s remarkable effectiveness in cultivating legal professionals with a global perspective and strong professional competence.

On January 11, 2025, the 2025 International Tax Competition concluded. This year’s competition centered on the theme “Multinational Enterprise Supply Chain Transformation and Tax Governance under Pillar Two”, adopting a preliminary-final round format. The preliminary round was conducted online from October 8 to November 14, with participating teams analyzing designated case studies. The School of Transnational Law, Peking University representative team demonstrated exceptional performance in the finals, earning the Honorable Mention.

The PwC International Tax Competition was established in 2015 and is organized by the PwC Education Foundation and National Taipei University, with co-sponsorship from the Chinese Association for International Tax Affairs and the National Taipei University Tax Research Society. Since 2017, the competition has extended invitations to mainland universities. The competition aims to disseminate tax knowledge, enhance understanding of tax-related issues, and cultivate students' capacity to resolve complex tax problems, thereby effectively elevating cross-strait university students' awareness of contemporary tax matters. Over the past decade, through its professional competition content, the event has established a strong reputation in the international tax field and attracted participation from numerous leading universities across the Taiwan Strait.

The School of Transnational Law, Peking University representative team was coached by Xu Ruixiang. Team members included Li Haoyuan, Yang Hongri from the Class of 2022, Zou Chuyan, and Gao Yaoyue from the Class of 2023.

From January 22 to 24, 2025, the 12th Asia-Pacific Regional Round of the Price Media Law Moot Court Competition was successfully held in Manila, Philippines. The team representing STL delivered an outstanding performance, standing out from the fierce competition to secure a spot among the Top 4 Teams in the Asia-Pacific Region (Semi-Finalist) and being awarded the Best Memorials Winner. Among the team members, Liu Yuan was named the 7th Best Oralist. Later, the STL team participated in the International Round held in Oxford from April 21 to 25, 2025, where it advanced to the Global Top 16 (Octa-Finalist) and claimed the Best Memorials Runner-up.

The Price Media Law Moot Court Competition (officially known as the Monroe E Price Media Law Moot Court Competition, abbreviated as Price Media Law Moot Court Competition) was established by the University of Oxford in memory of Professor Monroe E. Price, founder of the Programme in Comparative Media Law & Policy at the university’s Centre for Socio-Legal Studies. Since its inception in 2008, the competition has been organized under the auspices of the aforesaid Programme. Its core objective is to encourage law students worldwide to conduct in-depth research and debate on cutting-edge human rights legal issues against the backdrop of the rapid development of internet social platforms and information technology, guiding students and judges alike to focus on and explore critical topics such as freedom of expression, privacy rights, data protection and international human rights law in the digital space.

Our school’s moot court team was formed in July 2024. It was mentored by Ms. Qiu Xiaoya, then Director of the Moot Court Programme, and Mr. Pu Jinke, Senior Lecturer of the C.V. Starr Programme. Ms. Li Yaxin (Class of 2022) served as the student coach. The team roster included Ms. Guo Xiaoqi, Ms. Shao Yingqi, Ms. He Xun and Ms. Liu Yuan (all from the Class of 2023).

From February 15-18, 2025, the 23rd Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition National Rounds (China) took place at the Haidian Campus of China University of Political Science and Law. This prestigious English-language competition brought together top students from 66 leading law schools nationwide, including Peking University, Renmin University of China, Beijing Normal University, China University of Political Science and Law, and East China University of Political Science and Law.

After four days of intense competition, the Peking University School of Transnational Law (STL) team secured the National Championship and First Prize with an undefeated record, qualifying for the International Rounds in Washington, D.C., in April 2025. This marks STL's return to the national championship since its inaugural victory in 2013, demonstrating the school's continued excellence in international law.

In the subsequent International Rounds, the STL team was the only representative from Greater China to advance to the Top 48 teams globally. Team member Tang Luyang was also recognized as one of the Top 100 Oralists worldwide.

The Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, organized by the International Law Students Association (ILSA), is widely regarded as the "Olympics of International Law." As the world's largest and oldest moot court competition, it involves over 900 universities from more than 100 countries annually. The competition not only promotes the study and research of public international law but also serves as a benchmark for assessing a law school's academic standards and international reputation. For law students, Jessup participation is considered a prestigious credential, demonstrating the qualifications sought by top global law schools and leading international law firms.

This year's Compromis addressed cutting-edge issues in public international law, encompassing four core questions: (1) the rights and obligations of other members of the international community when two persons claim to be the legitimate president of a state; (2) invocation of immunity for government officials accused of grave violations of human rights; (3) the legal consequences of receding coastlines for the maritime zones of coastal states; and (4) the interpretation of the compromissory clause in a treaty creating a regional organization. The complexity of these issues presented significant challenges to competitors. Despite demanding academic schedules, the team demonstrated exceptional dedication and time management, conducting extensive legal research and analysis to draft comprehensive Memorials that formed a strong foundation for their oral advocacy.

The team was coached by Senior Lecturer Christian Pangilinan and Assistant Professor Kevin W. Gray, with support from student coaches Li Jieran (Class of 2022) and Hu Minghao (Class of 2021). Team members included Lin Hongwei, Lin Keyu, Tang Luyang, and Li Zhiyao (all Class of 2023).

From February 17 to 23, 2025, the 9th Ian Fletcher International Insolvency Moot, co-hosted by the INSOL International and International Insolvency Institute, was successfully held in a digital format. This competition attracted nearly 40 teams from the world’s top law schools. After fierce competitions including the written submission and oral argument, our school’s team delivered an outstanding performance in the preliminary round, advanced to the knockout stage with an excellent ranking of the Top 4 globally, and ultimately won the honor of being among the world's Top 8—this marks STL’s first participation in an international moot court competition in the field of insolvency law.

The Ian Fletcher International Insolvency Moot is a world-renowned competition of the highest standard and greatest influence in the cross-border insolvency law field. Founded in 2017, the competition aims to promote academic research and practical exchanges on cross-border insolvency legal issues. The moot problem for this year's competition closely focused on practical hotspots in cross-border insolvency and corporate restructuring, featuring a forward-looking, innovative and exquisitely designed topic. It centered on discussions of core issues such as the application of the UNCITRAL Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency under multi-jurisdictional settings, the determination of a company’s centre of main interests, as well as the protection of creditors’ interests under substantive consolidation reorganization and third-party exculpatory clauses.

The team was supervised by Qiu Xiaoya, then-serving Director of Moot Court Programs. The team members included Shihui Zeng and Shan Zhang, two undergraduate students from the Class of 2023.

From February 22 to 23, 2025, the 16th International Air Law Moot Court Competition, China Regional Selection was successfully held in Datong, Shanxi Province. This marked the second time that STL has participated in the international air law moot court competition. After intense competition, the team representing our school delivered an outstanding performance, winning the National Second Prize, the Excellent Oral Presentation (Applicant Side), as well as the Excellent Memorial Award (both Applicant and Respondent Sides).

The International Air Law Moot Court Competition was initiated upon the recommendation of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a specialized agency of the United Nations. It is currently the only worldwide-level moot court competition dedicated to international air law. The 2025 edition centered on cutting-edge issues in international air law, including the dispute over the jurisdiction of ICAO and the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and whether government support for airlines in the use of sustainable aviation fuel, together with corresponding retaliatory measures, are inconsistent with obligations under international environmental law and the principle of fair competition.

The team was supervised by Qiu Xiaoya, then-serving Director of Moot Court Programs. Its members were Chen Shiyu and Zhou Keyi (Class of 2023).

On March 3, 2025, the 23rd John H. Jackson Moot Court Competition (East Asia and Oceania Regional Round) successfully concluded in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. This year’s competition brought together elite law school teams from countries such as China, the Philippines, Singapore, and South Korea. After five months of high-intensity preparation, the team from Peking University School of Transnational Law advanced to the semi-finals and finals with the highest overall score, ultimately winning three major honors: Runner-Up Team of the East Asia and Oceania Round, Best Overall Written Submission, and Best Respondent’s Written Submission, and successfully qualified for the Global Finals in Geneva.

The John H. Jackson Moot Court Competition (formerly the ELSA Moot Court Competition on WTO Law) was established in 2001 by The European Law Students’ Association (ELSA). It is the only student moot court competition officially recognized by the WTO Secretariat and is the most authoritative and influential international event in the field of WTO law, attracting teams from nearly 100 universities worldwide every year. The competition jury includes renowned scholars in the WTO field, lawyers, and legal officials from the World Trade Organization. The competition adopts a two-round format: in the first round, regional winners are selected from five major global regions, and the victors then travel to Geneva to participate in the Global Finals. This year’s case directly addressed the frontiers of digital trade rules, covering core substantive disputes such as National Treatment and Most-Favored-Nation (MFN) treatment under GATS, as well as non-tariff barriers under Article XI of GATT. It also delved into the specific application of the "necessity test" standards in WTO jurisprudence. The case specifically featured new challenges of the digital age such as algorithm governance and data sovereignty, deeply examining the dynamic balance between cultural sovereignty, data governance rights, and trade liberalization under the WTO framework.

Our school's representative team was coached by Qiu Xiaoya, Director of Moot Court Competitions, and Xu Ruixiang, C.V. Starr Senior Law Lecturer. Team members included Chen Zehao, Wang Shiyu, and Yang Yudie from the Class of 2023.

From March 8 to 9, 2025, the 12th China University International Criminal Court (ICC) Moot Court Competition,  was held at Southwest Medical University. Competing against 62 participating teams from across the country, the delegation from our school demonstrated rigorous logic and precise expression during the court debates, ultimately winning the First Prize at the national level and securing the Best Defense Counsel Award in the preliminary round.

Shortly thereafter, from April 11 to 13, the 2025 ICC Chinese Moot Court Competition took place at Shandong University (Qingdao Campus). With a record-high scale, the competition attracted 105 top universities nationwide, including Tsinghua University, Peking University, and Sun Yat-sen University. Our school's delegation showcased outstanding professional competence in both the written submission competition and court debates, standing out among over a hundred strong teams. They finally ranked 14th nationwide and secured the second place in the Second Prize category, thus being awarded the National Second Prize.

The ICC Moot Court Competition is an important academic program co-hosted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies at Leiden University in the Netherlands. It is one of the largest-scale and most professionally advanced moot court competitions in China. The competition topics of this session focused on cutting-edge legal issues such as the jurisdiction over dual-nationality individuals, the identification of gender apartheid, and the criteria for offences against the administration of justice, which were highly challenging.

The preparation for this competition received high attention from the school. The delegation was guided by Teacher Qiu Xiaoya, the Director of the Moot Court Competition, and Wu Mingming from Grade 2022 served as the student coach. The team members included Hu Kaining, Chen Yawen, and Liu Yuting from Grade 2023.

From March 30 to April 6, 2025, the 22nd Willem C. Vis (East) International Commercial Arbitration Moot Court Competition was successfully held in Hong Kong, China. In this competition, the team representing our school won the Honorable Mention for Best Memorandum on Behalf of Respondent.

Since 2003, the Willem C. Vis Moot Organizing Committee has established the Asian regional round, Willem C. Vis (East), in Hong Kong, China. It has now developed into the largest international commercial arbitration moot court competition in the world by scale, excluding the Vis Moot Vienna round.

The current competition attracted 159 teams from various countries and regions around the globe, including strong competitors from world-famous universities such as Tsinghua University, Hong Kong University, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the National University of Singapore, the University of Zurich, and the University of Vienna.

Previously, the STL team also participated in the 15th Moot Shanghai and advanced to the Quarter-Finalist round, setting a new best record for STL teams in this competition in recent years. Hu Chenxi and Zhou Ziheng won the Individual Excellence Award for their outstanding performances in the general rounds.

In addition, He Aidi, Hu Chenxi, Kang Hong, Li Jiahao, Xue Yuandi, Yan Yingshan, Zhang Yeye, and Zhou Ziheng took part in the APAC Pre-Moot for the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, hosted by the Asian International Arbitration Centre. During the competition, the STL team competed against universities from countries and regions including India and Russia one after another, defeated numerous strong opponents, and progressed to the Elimination Round, accumulating valuable experience for the follow-up competitions.

The team was supervised by Qiu Xiaoya, then Director of Moot Court Programs of STL. Assistant Professor Kevin Gray and Mr. Cole Agar, former Director of the International Programs Office, served as coaches, and Zhang Shiyang (Class of 2022), acted as the student coach.

The participating team members included Hu Chenxi, Kang Hong and Zhou Ziheng (Class of 2023), and Li Jiahao (Class of 2022). The team also received guidance from Professor Philip McConnaughay, former Dean of our school, and Professor Mark Feldman, current Executive Dean of our school, as well as support from previous team members including Wei Xiaoqiao, Yuan Lin, Si Zheyuan and Chen Zhuo.

From April 9 to 12, 2025, the 25th Brown Mosten International Client Consultation Competition (ICCC) was held in Glasgow, drawing top law schools from over 20 countries. As the first team from Mainland China to participate in recent years, the STL team earned 7th place globally, showing excellence in information gathering, legal analysis and client communication.

Founded in 1969 and later named after Louis M. Brown and Forrest S. Mosten, the ICCC is a premier practical legal contest involving 38 countries. Unlike traditional moot courts, the ICCC simulates a first-time law firm consultation. Within a 45-minute session, students must conduct an interview with a client (30-35 mins), during which students are expected to elicit the relevant information, outline the nature of the problem and present the client with a means for resolving it. The interview with the client is then followed by a post-consultation period (10-15 mins) during which the students, in the absence of the client, analyze the interview and discuss the legal and ethical work to be undertaken. The 2025 topic, “Consumer Contracts”, covered cases involving luxury goods, real estate engineering, and emotional distress from consumer fraud. These scenarios demanded exceptional legal analysis and adaptability.

The STL team was coached by Senior Lecturer of Law Christian Pangilinan and comprised Ge Rui and Liu Jin (Class of 2023).

On April 12, 2025, the 12th Asia-Pacific M&A Moot Competition was successfully held at the Changping Campus of China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL). The competition was jointly hosted by the Civil,Commercial and Economic Law School and the Business School of CUPL, together with the China Mergers & Acquisitions Association; co-organized by the College of Law of National Chengchi University (Taiwan) and the Museum of Finance; supported by the Mainland-Hong Kong-Macau Law Education Alliance; and sponsored by Beijing Rongdian Law Firm and the Public Welfare Trust Research Fund on New Trends in Finance-and-Law Governance.

Distinguished by outstanding professional competence, a solid theoretical foundation, and exceptional teamwork, the Peking University team outperformed many strong contenders and once again won the competition’s highest honor—the Best M&A Proposal Award—while also securing the Best M&A Brief Award. Team member SONG Jie received the Best Individual Performance Award, and REN Jiayu received the Best Team Member Award.

The team was coached by ZHANG Chenli, Assistant Dean; QIU Xiaoya, then Director of Moot Court Competitions; and BAO Hong, C.V. Starr Senior Lecturer in Law. The team was selected jointly by the School of Transnational Law and the HSBC Business School, and consisted of REN Jiayu (Class of 2022), CHEN Mengqi (Class of 2022), SONG Jie (Class of 2023), JIANG Yihang (Class of 2023), LI Xinrong (Class of 2023), all from the School of Transnational Law, and LIU Xuanzhao (Class of 2023) from the HSBC Business School.

From May 22 to 23, 2025, the fourth edition of the Sports Arbitration Moot was successfully held in Madrid, Spain. This year’s competition drew students from 70 universities across 26 countries, and marked the inaugural participation of STL in a sports arbitration moot.

In March 2025, after three rounds of intensive oral arguments, STL’s team placed 13th worldwide in the online General Rounds, earning qualification for the global finals. The following May, the team advanced to the top eight in the finals, achieving the highest ranking among all Chinese teams in this edition.

Organized by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the Swiss Arbitration Academy, and the Université de Neuchâtel, the Sports Arbitration Moot is widely regarded as a leading authority in the field. Each year, the competition addresses cutting-edge issues in sports arbitration practice. The 2025 case centered on key topics such as the exhaustion of internal remedies, admissibility and probative value of evidence, the well-known “field of play” doctrine, and the scope of review by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The STL team was coached by Professor Qiu Xiaoya, then Director of Moot Court Competitions, and Professor Xu Ruixiang, C.V. Starr Senior Lecturer in Law. The student coach was Peng Junkai (Class of 2022). Team members included Liu Haiyue (Class of 2023) and Zhao Yuting (Class of 2023).

On May 24-25, 2025, the 17th "BFSU-Wanhuida" Intellectual Property Moot Court Competition concluded successfully. Co-organized by Beijing Foreign Studies University and Wanhuida Intellectual Property Agency Co., Ltd., this year's competition attracted teams from 16 universities across China and abroad. After intense competition in written submissions and oral pleadings, the team from our college won the third prize, demonstrating solid legal knowledge and outstanding courtroom performance. Among them, Wang Lijing was honored with the title of "Outstanding Oralist" for her exceptional logical expression and on-the-spot adaptability.

The "BFSU-Wanhuida" Intellectual Property Moot Court Competition is one of the most influential moot court events in China's intellectual property field. It aims to enhance students' practical legal skills and professional competence by simulating real intellectual property litigation procedures. Since its inception in 2019, the competition has been successfully held for five sessions, serving as an important platform for cultivating talent and facilitating exchanges in intellectual property education among universities. This year’s case focused on cutting-edge and challenging issues in current intellectual property protection, covering hot topics such as game infringement and copyright, reflecting significant practical relevance and professional depth.

The team from our college was guided by Ms. Qiu Xiaoya, the director of the moot court program, and Professor Wu Xiaoping. The competing members included Wang Lijing (Class of 2022) and Ye Wei (Class of 2023).

On July 27, 2025, the FDI Moot Shenzhen Cup 2025 (FDI Moot Shenzhen 2025), hosted by the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration (SCIA), concluded successfully at the International Arbitration Tower in Qianhai, Shenzhen. Our team won First Prize and advanced to the Global Round. Among them, Yao Ruiyang (Class of 2023) was named Best Oralist after ranking second overall among oralists in the preliminary rounds. The competition attracted 44 teams from leading universities in Mainland China as well as Hong Kong and Macao. Under the rules, the top eight teams in the China rounds advanced directly to the FDI Moot 2025 Global Round in Boston, USA.

The FDI Moot 2025 Global Round was held in Boston from October 29 to November 2. Competing against top teams from around the world, our team achieved an oral pleading result placing us in the global Top 16, matching our institution’s best-ever performance in the competition and ranking among the best results achieved by Chinese teams this year. In individual awards, Yang Yahan received an Honourable Mention Advocate Award, ranking 8th worldwide among the top ten counsel for a single side; Yao Ruiyang ranked 6th worldwide among the top ten counsel for both sides.

Founded in 2008, the FDI Moot is a global student competition organized by the Center for International Legal Studies (CILS) in Austria. Together with the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition and the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, it is recognized as one of the world’s three major moot court competitions. The FDI Moot aims to encourage young scholars to study international investment arbitration and to promote academic and practical development in this field. The competition focuses on simulating Investor–State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) proceedings under frameworks such as the ICSID (World Bank Group) or UNCITRAL ad hoc tribunals to resolve investment disputes between investors and host States. A total of 65 elite teams from 32 countries and regions advanced to the global rounds this year. The tribunal panels were composed of hundreds of leading practitioners, and multiple internationally renowned arbitral institutions provided academic support for the competition.

Before the FDI Moot, the team also participated in the 17th Frankfurt Investment Arbitration Moot Court Competition (China Regional Round) and won Second Prize. Yang Yahan and Shao Ziheng were named Best Oralists for the preliminary round, and Yao Ruiyang received the Outstanding Contribution Award. For this year’s Frankfurt and FDI team, Qiu Xiaoya, Director of the Office of International Cooperation, served as faculty advisor. Student coaches were Shu Xi, Wei Tianshu, Li Haoyuan, and Yang Liuqing (Class of 2022). Team members included Yao Ruiyang, Yang Yahan, Shao Ziheng, and Li Haobin (Class of 2023). Special thanks go to Executive Dean Mark Feldman, Assistant Professor Kevin Gray, Senior C.V. Starr Lecturers Jiang Zichen and Wang Ding, as well as alumni including Attorney Gu Dai and Attorney Liu Dingmin, and members of the STL Moot Family, including but not limited to Li Anhua and Xing Jiabao (Class of 2021), Peng Junkai (Class of 2022), Tang Luyang (Class of 2023), and Qiu Yiran and Peng Jiansu (Class of 2024)—for their invaluable advice and guidance.

On November 22, 2025, the final of the 11th Xiaocheng’s Scholarship on Public Interest Litigation Competition was held at East China University of Political Science and Law.

The team Dao Hang Wu De (Navigating Without Malfeasance) from STL submitted its project application for the competition in November 2024, and successfully advanced to the second round. After competing in the online second round on July 19, 2025, the team became one of the 12 finalists. It ultimately won the National Second Prize in the final, ranking among the top five out of more than 150 participating teams.

In the final round, the team focused on the infringement caused by platforms’ recommendation of fraudulent stores. It centered on the scenario of online consumption, where platforms fail to fulfill their reasonable review and supervision obligations, and recommend fraudulent stores that mislead consumers, thereby infringing upon consumers’ right to information and right to fair trade. Drawing on legal bases including the Advertising Law and provisions concerning platform joint and several liability, the team designed a targeted litigation scheme. This not only demonstrated solid capabilities in the application of legal knowledge, but also provided practical references for regulating platform recommendation mechanisms and safeguarding fair consumption.

In this competition, the team from our school was composed of Wang Yan, Chen Yawen, and Chen Shiyu (Class of 2023). The team also received guidance and support from Ms. Cai Xiaoxue, Ms. Liu Xu, and Mr. Xia Zhiyi.

From November 20 to 24, 2025, the 14th Stetson International Environmental Moot Court Competition (IEMCC) East Asian Regional Rounds (EARR) were held at Soongsil University in Seoul, South Korea. Conducted entirely in English, the competition brought together leading law school teams from China, South Korea, Japan, Italy, Mongolia, and other countries and regions. Amid intense competition, the STL team delivered an outstanding performance and ultimately won the Soongsil’s Gold Medal, successfully qualifying for the International Finals. Luo Xiao received the First Oralist Award; Peng Jiansu was awarded the Second Oralist Award and the Best Oralist Award in Final Round; and Qiu Yiran received the Third Oralist Award.

The IEMCC is an international, specialized moot court competition organized by Stetson University College of Law in the United States. It is currently one of the largest and most influential international environmental law moot court competitions worldwide. Centered on international environmental disputes, the competition simulates proceedings before the International Court of Justice and other international dispute settlement mechanisms. The competition has long focused on cutting-edge issues in international environmental law, including climate change, biodiversity conservation, ocean and polar governance, and liability for transboundary environmental harm.

This year’s problem focused on the interpretation and application of international environmental treaties, emphasizing on core institutional issues such as Prior Informed Consent and Fair and Equitable Benefit Sharing. The case comprehensively tested teams’ mastery of the international environmental law regime and their capacity to conduct nuanced legal reasoning in complex factual contexts.

Our team was coached by Senior Lecturer Christian Pangilinan, with Tang Luyang (Class of 2023) serving as student coach. The team also benefited from the support of Qiu Xiaoya, Director of Graduate and International Programs, as well as previous Jessup–Stetson team members, including Li Zhiyao, Lin Hongwei, and Lin Keyu. The competing team members were Luo Xiao, Peng Jiansu, and Qiu Yiran (Class of 2024).

The 19th Red Cross International Humanitarian Law Moot Court Competition (China Round) concluded in Wuhan, Hubei Province on November 23rd, 2025. The competition was jointly hosted by the International Committee of the Red Cross, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, and the Secretariat of the National Committee on International Humanitarian Law of the PRC, undertaken by International Law School of Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, with sponsorship from Chinese Red Cross Foundation.This year's competition attracted a record 74 colleges and universities from across the country. Our team excelled in the pleadings session and successfully advanced to the oral competition session, becoming one of the final 32 college teams. In the oral competition session, our team achieved the national second prize due to our outstanding performance.

The Red Cross International Humanitarian Law Moot Court Competition is an international moot court event organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross, aimed at promoting education and the dissemination of knowledge regarding humanitarian law, exploring its deeper connotations, and playing a crucial role in publicizing and advocating for international humanitarian law. This initiative fosters understanding and learning of international humanitarian law among students and enhances the standard of China’s international humanitarian law teaching and research.

The STL team was coached by Qiu Xiaoya, Director of Graduate and International Programs, and Wang Ding, Senior C.V. Starr Lecturer. Team members include Zhao Yihang, Zhou Yuxuan, Xie Jiaying, and Chen Yuxuan from the Class of 2024.

On December 5, 2025, the 23rd CIETAC Cup International Commercial Arbitration Moot (CIETAC Cup) concluded successfully. The team from our school achieved an outstanding result, winning the National Second Prize.

Student Xue Yating was awarded Best Oralist in the Eighth-Finals. In the general rounds, Yu Tianmuzi ranked first among the Best Oralists, Ma Yunxi ranked fourth, and Liu Yan ranked sixth.

The CIETAC Cup, organized by the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC), is an annual arbitration law competition for law schools across China. It serves both as the domestic selection competition for the Willem C. Vis Moot and as the first Vis Moot–recognized pre-moot worldwide, adopting the same problem and arbitration rules as the Vis Moot. Since its inception in 2000, the CIETAC Cup has been held successfully for twenty-three editions.

As the longest-running and most influential international commercial arbitration moot court competition in China, this year’s event attracted 103 teams from around the world, including participants from mainland China, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Egypt, as well as the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions. This broad participation fully demonstrates the CIETAC Cup’s growing international influence and reach.

The team from our school was coached by Assistant Professor Kevin W. Gray, with He Aidi (Class of 2023) serving as the student coach. Team members included Xue Yating, Liu Yan, Yutian Muzi, and Ma Yunxi (Class of 2024).

From December 6th to 7th, the 22nd CASC Cup Manfred Lachs International Space Law Moot Court Competition, guided by the Department of Treaty and Law of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, organized by the China Institute of Space Law, and hosted by Xiangtan University, was successfully held in Xiangtan, Hunan. This year’s moot court competition attracted students from 35 universities and colleges. After intense competition in the preliminary written submissions and live court hearings, our team won the National Second Prize and was awarded the Best Memorial Guidance Award. This marks STL’s second participation in an international space law moot court competition, achieving a historic breakthrough.

The Manfred Lachs International Space Law Moot Court Competition is an annual world-class moot court competition founded by the International Institute of Space Law (IISL) in 1992. The domestic competition, organized by the China Institute of Space Law since 2003, is an integral part of its global competition system and has now been successfully held for 22 editions. The topics of the space law moot court competition revolve around legal issues arising from advancements in space and related technological fields, featuring forward-thinking, novel, and meticulously crafted scenarios. This year’s moot court case was selected from the latest international space law moot court competition case published by the International Institute of Space Law, addressing issues such as state responsibility for private entities’ space activities, removal of rogue satellites, lunar resource extraction, and astronaut rescue. The competition submissions, oral arguments, and judging were all conducted in English.

Our team was coached by Senior Lecturer Christian Pangilinan. The team members included 2024 students Tao Yijie and Zhang Ke.

On December 7, 2025, the 14th China WTO Moot Court Competition concluded successfully at Southwest University of Political Science and Law. The STL team overcame numerous challenges and ultimately stood out amid intense competition, securing the national third place, the first prize for the team, the Best Respondent Memorial Award (the sole highest score), and the third prize for the Complainant Memorial. Team member Ma Yiyan was honored as the Best Oralist for the Complainant in the preliminary rounds and the Best Overall Oralist in the preliminary rounds. The team’s advisor, Bin Dong, received the Best Coach Award.

The China WTO Moot Court Competition was founded in 2012 and is jointly organized by the Treaty and Law Department of the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese Society of World Trade Organization Law, China University of Political Science and Law, and Southwest University of Political Science and Law. Over the past 14 successful iterations, it has become a benchmark authority in the field of international law. Conducted entirely in English, the competition aims to help university students master and apply WTO rules by simulating the WTO dispute settlement panel process, thereby fostering the cultivation and selection of talent in WTO negotiations and dispute resolution. This year’s event, hosted by the School of International Law at Southwest University of Political Science and Law, attracted 66 university teams and 462 outstanding participants from institutions such as China University of Political Science and Law, Wuhan University, Sun Yat-sen University, and the University of International Business and Economics, setting a new record in scale and intensifying the competition for awards.

This year’s competition focused on a real WTO trade dispute case, “European Union v. China—Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights” (DS611), addressing practical controversies sparked by the case’s appellate arbitration ruling. The themes involved multiple issues, including the interpretation of the TRIPS Agreement, the boundaries of judicial sovereignty among member states, the protection of intellectual property rights for SEP holders, and the implementation standards of “Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory” (FRAND) commitments. These topics demanded exceptional proficiency in utilizing the WTO dispute settlement mechanism, robust case analysis skills, and professional courtroom expression from the teams. The STL team was advised by C.V. Starr Lecturer Bin Dong, with student coaches Chen Zehao, Wang Shiyu, and Yang Yudie—members of last year’s “China WTO” and “John H. Jackson” moot court teams and the class of 2023—providing guidance. The team also received professional mentorship from Wu Xiaoping, Professor from Practice at Peking University School of Transnational Law, along with strong support and assistance from Qiu Xiaoya, Director of Graduate and International Programs. The team members included Zhang Ziyang, Wang Ziyang, and Ma Yiyan from the class of 2024.