The China-EU School of Law’s Arbitration Moot Team successfully participated in the 17th CIETAC Cup, an International Commercial Arbitration Moot which was held from 17 to 22 November 2019. In the end, the team won the “second prize” and ranked 18th out of 64 teams participating in the competition.

The CIETAC Cup is hosted by the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission, China’s leading arbitration body, in Beijing. This Moot Court is the oldest and most prestigious student competition in China focusing on the oral presentation of legal arguments before an arbitral tribunal. It was established in 2000 to help train China’s future international arbitration professionals. During the whole CIETAC Cup week, the very top law students in China met to present their arguments in a simulation of an arbitration hearing.

The CESL CIETAC Team consists of eight members: Zhang Shuyuan, Jiang Nan, Chen Weiqin, Yi Chen, Yue Rongyi, Jiang Jiaying, Liu Lusheng and Ke Xi. After one month of intense preparations, the team finished the memorandums of the Claimant and the Respondent, and practiced their oral pleadings with the guidance of Professor Monty Silley, Professor Susan Wintermuth and Professor Monika Prusinowska. In addition, student coaches Tao Zhilin, Guo Jingjuan, Wang Chengyue and other senior students, as well as researchers Ma Ge, He Mengran, Liao Jingwen, Zhang Junhao and others also participated in the preparation process, providing great help for the team members. This competition was an excellent practice platform for CESL mooters ahead of their preparation for the Vis Moot competition coming up next year.

In the CIETAC CUP, the CESL Team had the chance to confront other teams and argue before distinguished arbitrators from both China and abroad. This year’s competition witnessed teams from the top Chinese law schools, and the CESL Team argued against teams from Peking University, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Minjiang University and Inner Mongolia University of Finance and Economics.

Although the CIETAC CUP came to an end, the CESL Team was inspired by both their own experiences as well as other strong teams’ excellent performances. Thus, the CESL Team will keep working hard in daily practice to continually improve for the next competition!

(Contributor: Yue Rongyi, Ke Xi)