On April 16, 2024, a grand ceremony was held to appoint Simon Chesterman as the Peking University - Jones Day Chair in Globalization and the Rule of Law. The Peking University - Jones Day Chair in Globalization and the Rule of Law was established by a donation from Jones Day to promote research and teaching on globalization and the rule of law, to advance the internationalization of Peking University Law School, and to enhance the School's international influence. Prof. Paul Gewirtz of Yale Law School and Prof. William P. Alford of Harvard Law School have been appointed to the Chair in 2015 and 2019, respectively. 2024, Prof. Simon Chesterman, David Marshall Professor of the National University of Singapore, Vice-President for Educational Innovation, Founding Dean of University College, and former Dean of the Faculty of Law, is the third Peking University-Zhongda Chair. Professor Simon Chesterman, Vice President for Educational Innovation at the National University of Singapore, and Founding Dean of University College and former Dean of the Law School, has been appointed as the third Peking University - Jones Day Chair in Globalization and the Rule of Law.

Dr. Wang Zhiping, Partner of Jones Day's Hong Kong office, Wu Yichen, Partner of Beijing office, Guo Li, Dean of Peking University School of Law, Dai Xin, Associate Dean, Ge Yunsong, Professor, Liu Yinliang, Long-term Associate Professor, Yang Ming, Associate Professor, Hu Ling, Assistant to the Dean and Assistant Professor, Zuo Yilu, Assistant to the Dean and Assistant Professor, Wang Huawei, Assistant to the Dean and Assistant Professor, Bian Renjun, Post-doctoral Fellows, Sun Jingzhou and Chen Xiaohang, Assistant to the Dean and Director of the Office of External Affairs, Li Yuanyuan. , Director of the Office of External Affairs, Li Yuanyuan, and more than fifty student representatives from Peking University Law School attended the event. The ceremony was hosted by Xin Dai.

On behalf of the School, Dean Guo Li warmly welcomed Prof. Simon Chesterman and colleagues from Jones Day. He said that the establishment of the Peking University-Zhongda Chair of Globalization and the Rule of Law is an important initiative of the College to cultivate international rule of law talents and deepen the research and education on the rule of law in the context of globalization. On the occasion of the 120th anniversary of Peking University Law School, Professor Simon Chesterman of National University of Singapore, an internationally renowned scholar, was invited to hold the chair and share his years of deep cultivation and explorations in the fields of global governance, artificial intelligence and big data with the faculty and students of Peking University Law School, which will greatly promote the internationalization of Peking University Law School and its construction. Meanwhile, the development of Peking University Law School cannot be separated from the long-term cooperation and full support of Zhongda Law Firm's colleagues. Peking University Law School will continue to uphold the concept of globalization of the rule of law, deepen international exchanges and cooperation, and write a new chapter of legal education with global influence.

Mr. Wang Zhiping said that he was glad to gather with experts and scholars in Yanyuan Garden on the occasion of the 120th anniversary of Peking University Law School and highly recognized the excellent talent cultivation achievements of Peking University Law School. Zhongda Law Firm has maintained a long-term partnership with Peking University Law School, and over the years, through the joint establishment of educational funds, practical courses, high-end forums and other forms, to help promote the cultivation of foreign rule of law practice talents. The appointment of Professor Simon Chesterman as the Peking University-Zhongda Chair of Globalization and the Rule of Law marks the further deepening of the cooperation between Peking University and Zhongda, and Zhongda Law Firm will continue to cooperate with Peking University School of Law to jointly promote the development of globalization and the rule of law.

Afterwards, Dean Guo Li, on behalf of Peking University Law School, awarded Professor Simon Chesterman the Peking University - Jones Day Chair of Globalization and the Rule of Law and presented him with a poster commemorating the lecture.

A graduation ceremony for the 2023 Peking University-Zhongda China Globalization and Rule of Law Talent Cultivation Program was then held. The “Peking University - Jones Day China Globalization and Rule of Law Talent Cultivation Program” is carried out by Peking University Law School and Jones Day, with the concept of cultivating “practical foreign-related rule of law talents”, and is open to outstanding students majoring in law in colleges and universities across the country, which has received great attention and wide acclaim in the industry. In 2023, 66 students from 30 colleges and universities, including Peking University, Tsinghua University, Renmin University of China and China University of Political Science and Law, successfully completed the program. Dean Guo Li and Mr. Wang Zhiping presented certificates of completion to four student representatives.

Zhou Ziyi, a 23rd grade LLM from Peking University Law School, spoke as a student representative. He said that “Peking University-Zhongda China Globalization and Rule of Law Talent Cultivation Program” provides valuable learning opportunities for students who are interested in learning international rules and practicing foreign law. The contents of “Cross-border Legal Practice for Lawyers” cover different fields of foreign-related legal practice, which deeply reflect the latest requirements for legal practitioners in the era of globalization, and fully open up the students' global vision. At the same time, on behalf of the students, he welcomed and thanked Prof. Simon Chesterman for joining Peking University Law School, and said that the students of Peking University Law School will get more international legal education, and that he will continue to pursue the path of foreign-related rule of law, and aspire to contribute to the construction of the rule of law of globalization.

Prof. Simon Chesterman then delivered a keynote speech on “Good Models Borrow, Great Models Steal: Intellectual Property Rights and Generative AI”. The Peking University-Zhongda Chair of Globalization and the Rule of Law Appointment Ceremony was successfully concluded with a lively discussion among the participating teachers and students.

Translated by: Wei Mingxuan

Edited by: Ren Zhiyi