In the China National Rounds of the FDI Moot Shenzhen Cup, Team B of the China-EU School of Law at the China University of Political Science and Law won the first prize.

This team was headed by Professor Monty Silley and Yi Chen as the student coach. It included four oralists: Jia Shuxian, Li Xiaocong, Hou Yixuan, Ouyang Yueying, and six researchers: Liu Xiaoyu, Pu Yingyu, Deng Xin, Li Rui, Wu Linhong and Zhao Xin. From the gathering in August, to the training in September, to the blooming in October, this team has grown continuously, and the collaboration among the mooters have become closer as colleagues and friends.

In the process of preparing, the pressure was like a shadow, but the fun always unexpectedly came through like a ray of light. When they first got the moot problem, the team members were confused about international investment arbitration. For most of the team members, it was their first time to try mooting in a competition. However, the lack of knowledge and lack of experience did not dispel their original intention of exploration, but became the motivation for everyone to challenge themselves and grow. Under the patient guidance of the professors and coaches, the team members started from the most basic teaching materials, firmly mastered the concepts, and approached the core of each dispute in a logical manner step by step.

Faced with the vast ocean of documents, laws and precedents, the team members were well aware of the principle that when “everyone gathers firewood the flames are high”. Different team members were responsible for different issues. Some studied arbitration awards, some collected research and doctrines, and others arranged them to form specific opinions. Due to the pandemic, the preliminary preparations for this moot could only be carried out online, but the contributions of the team members were always submitted on schedule, and the regular brainstorming sessions in online VOOV meetings was just as lively as it could have been offline.

Back on campus, the students gathered for face-to-face confrontations and practice drills in their “war room”. In this way, the team members not only improved their skills, but also stepped into each other's hearts and became trusted partners.

Even though they worked hard in the preparation phase, they were still unavoidably nervous when they went to Shenzhen. At this time, Professor Silley who accompanied the team became a solid support for the mooters. On weekdays, Professor Silley is the Executive Dean of the China-EU School of Law, and is often busy with official duties; but when they are preparing for the Moot, he becomes a strategizing coach, who can clearly advise the team on the approach and direction of their efforts.

To ease the pressure, before each session Professor Silley would help the team polish their arguments and would work with them until late at night, even with sleepy eyes, still not letting go of every detail that may be missed.

During the competition, Professor Silley shared the joys and sorrows with the team, carefully recording and giving valuable feedback after every section. When anxiously waiting for the results, Professor Silley repeatedly emphasized his “win-win” concept to ease the anxiety of the team: no matter whether we win or lose, everyone gains from this learning experience.  

In this way, the team was not affected by the tense rhythm of the competition, but the more they argued and the more courageous they became, they eventually were able to prevail.

At the end of the Moot, everyone was touched by the profound progress of the team. Some were especially grateful for the input and guidance of the professors and coaches, some were intoxicated by the highlight moments before the tribunal, some regretted the minor points that might have been improved in their performance, some gained friends, some found a new interest and even a potential career direction. However, everyone in this team agreed that the superior results on the competition stage are only one form of recognition. Their true common gratitude is to the platform of the China-EU School of Law for providing the educational resources, and the common reflection points of their own development and desire for continual future improvement.

Let the memory stay in this zealous autumn and let the ideal set sail from here.

Written by Hou Yixian & CESL FDI Moot Team