25 August 2023
On August 20, 2023 (Sunday), the FDI Moot Shenzhen 2023 ("Shenzhen Cup"), was successfully concluded at the SCIA Tower in Qianhai, Shenzhen. Organized by the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration (SCIA), this is China’s leg of the Foreign Direct Investment Moot, attracting 41 teams with nearly 300 players from universities across China (including Hong Kong and Macao).
This year's competition was supported by 25 renowned international organizations and arbitration institutions at home and abroad, including the World Bank's International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law's Regional Centre for Asia and the Pacific (UNCITRAL RCAP), the International Chamber of Commerce's Court of Arbitration, the Department of Justice of Hong Kong, the Legal Affairs Bureau of Macao, etc. With the support of 13 co-organizers and supporting law firms, over 200 professionals from 46 countries and regions around the world as judges for this year's competition.
Des Voeux Chambers was honoured to be invited as one of the supporting organisations, and the only Hong Kong barristers' chambers to support this event. Dr William Wong SC, JP, hosted a webinar on the theme of "Cross-Examination in International Arbitration" for the competing teams and the arbitration community, sharing his experience in international arbitration and key skillsets in cross-examination. The webinar was well received by the audience.Members of DVC were also actively involved in all aspects of the event, with Jacqueline Law participating in the in-person elimination rounds as a referee arbitrator on August 19, and Michael Lok as a special guest, together with Li Lan, a partner of Jincheng & Tongda, giving comments to the participating teams during the inaugural observance seminar after the elimination rounds. The two barristers also shared with the students their professional knowledge and practical experience in the field of international investment arbitration and provided professional guidance and advice to the participating teams.
At the closing ceremony and award presentation ceremony held on August 20, Dr William Wong SC, JP, was invited as the guest of honour to present the award to the first runner-up team from Peking University School of International Law. In an interview with Shenzhen Special Zone Daily, Dr Wong said: "This competition is of great significance in training the next generation of international arbitrators for the country. In this regard, it is important to train our own young students and lawyers to expand our international arbitration business, and this competition serves a great purpose in reserving talents for the country."
