Congratulations! STL Moot Team Ranked Top 3 in FDI Moot Shenzhen 2022

FDI Moot Shenzhen 2022 ended successfully on August 14, 2022. After many rounds of intense competition, the team from Peking University School of Transnational Law (“STL”) won all four matches in the Preliminary Rounds and two matches in the Elimination Rounds. In the Final Round, the STL Moot Team emerged as the Third Place Team and will directly proceed to the International Rounds of FDI Moot set to take place at King’s College London in November.

Ranking

The Foreign Direct Investment Arbitration Moot, known as the FDI moot and one of the most prestigious moot court competitions worldwide, helps future legal practitioners gain practical understandings of the issues that arise out of obligations between host states and foreign investors. FDI Moot Shenzhen, as the China National Round of the FDI Moot, is aimed at cultivating Chinese emerging generations’ engagement, involvement and comprehension of international legal affairs, improving the academic and practical strength of China’s international investment arbitration, promoting investment arbitration and expanding the talent pool of the related fields in China. This year’s competition attracted 42 teams and more than 300 student participants as well as more than 260 expert judges from 46 countries and regions around the world.

Oralists of STL Moot Team (from left to right): Wang Yanchao, Du Simin, Sun Fanbo, Zhang Xue

The STL Moot Team was instructed by Director of Moot Court Competition Qiu Xiaoya, Senior C.V. Starr Lecturer Jiang Zichen and C.V. Starr Lecturer Wand Ding. The team, formed in mid-april this year, consists of four students from Class 2020: Wang Yanchao, Du Simin, Sun Fanbo, Zhang Xue. Since all four team members had previous experience in moot court, they were already very experienced in how to prepare for the competition and how to coordinate as a team. Zhang Xue and Du Simin, supervised by Ms. Wang Ding, worked on procedural issues (including res judicata, exhaustion of local remedies and interpretation of BITs). Meanwhile, Wang Yanchao and Sun Fanbo, supervised by Ms. Jiang Zichen, worked on substantive issues (including full protection and security clause, war loss clause, and moral damages). Simultaneously, Ms. Qiu Xiaoya had guided the preparation of the whole team.

In the late stages of preparation, the team members insisted on practicing their oral arguments with the coaches every day and constantly improved their advocacy skills. With intense dedication, the STL team won all four matches in the Preliminary Rounds and two matches in the Elimination Rounds. In the Final Round, STL Moot Team ranked in the Top 3 and successfully advanced to 2022 Global Rounds at King’s College London.

STL Moot Team while Debating

STL Moot Team has succeeded yet again in making a name for STL on the international stage. The team members expressed their sincere gratitude to the school and teachers for their careful guidance and encouragement throughout the preparation, including Ms. Qiu Xiaoya, Ms. Jiang Ziwu, Ms. Wang Ding and Mr. Liu Yue. With the strong supports from STL, the team will continue to be a force to be reckoned with on the International Rounds of FDI Moot!

Author: HE Caizhen (贺才真)