From April 9 to 12, 2026, the 18th Frankfurt Investment Arbitration Moot Court CIETAC Chinese (Mainland) National Rounds were held in Guangzhou. The competition brought together 39 teams and more than 300 students from universities across China, making for intense competition. Competing in the event for the first time, the Peking University team, composed of faculty members and students from the Law School, won the national championship.

The Frankfurt Investment Arbitration Moot Court is one of the longest-established and most prestigious moot court competitions in international investment arbitration. Focusing on investment arbitration and drawing on international treaties and case law, the competition conducts all oral arguments in English. Organized by the Max Planck Institute for Legal History and Legal Theory and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, it takes place each June in Frankfurt, Germany. Its problem incorporates the history of international law and situates an investment dispute in an actual historical context, combining academic depth with practical relevance. It places exceptionally high demands on teams’ ability to interpret historical materials, conduct legal research, reason and argue, and work together.

The Peking University team was supervised by tenured A.P. Gao Wei of the Law School. Ge Peiyu, a Juris Master student from the 2025 cohort, served as team captain. The other members were Chen Qingyang, a Juris Master student from the 2025 cohort; VIN SOK PONLOUE (Huang Jinhui), a Master of Laws student from the 2025 cohort; and Shi Xiaoyu, a Juris Master student from the 2024 cohort (listed in no particular order). With their solid grounding in law, accomplished oral advocacy, and composure throughout the competition, the four students stood out among strong teams to secure the championship. The team also excelled in the general rounds, where Ge Peiyu, Shi Xiaoyu, and Chen Qingyang received Best Oralist awards, demonstrating the academic strength and outstanding English communication skills of Peking University law students. Prof. Zhao Hong and student Chen Guangsheng of the Law School also provided substantial support during the team’s preparations.

Winning the national championship on its first appearance in the competition further demonstrates Peking University Law School’s strong foundations and continued progress in educating legal professionals for international practice. It also provides valuable experience for the School’s training and practice-oriented research in international investment arbitration. The School will continue to use leading international moot court competitions to strengthen its systems and mechanisms for educating legal professionals for international practice and advance the high-quality development of legal education. We wish the Peking University team further success in future competitions!

Translated by Zhang Xinye