This year’s competition brought together 144 teams from around theglobe, including world-renowned universities such as Peking University,Tsinghua University, Renmin University of China, University of InternationalBusiness and Economics, Wuhan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University,Heidelberg University, National University of Singapore, the London School ofEconomics and Political Science, the Chinese University of Hong Kong,and the University of Hong Kong, among others.
In this year’s competition, the South China Universityof Technology (SCUT) team once again delivered an outstanding performance,standing out among 144 participating teams from 33 countries and regionsworldwide. The SCUT team was awarded an Honourable Mention for Best Memorandumon Behalf of Respondent, a prestigious recognition for excellence in writtenadvocacy. This marks the first time that the SCUT team has achieved abreakthrough in the memorial writing category since it began participating inthe Willem C. Vis (East) International Commercial Arbitration Moot in 2021 and2022.
The Willem C. VisInternational Commercial Arbitration Moot is co-hosted by the United NationsCommission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), the University of Vienna, andother institutions. Held annually in Vienna, the capital of Austria, thecompetition boasts a 31-year history to date. Conducted entirely in English,the Vis Moot aims to promote the study and research of international commercialarbitration and uniform substantive law in civil and commercial fieldsworldwide. Attracting more than 300 universities across the globe each year, itis recognized as the largest and most prestigious law competition in the realmof international civil and commercial law. Since 2003, the organizing committeehas hosted the Willem C. Vis (East) Moot in Hong Kong, which adopts the samecase and rules as the Vienna edition, making the two parallel events. The SouthChina University of Technology team for this year’s VisEast Moot was guided by Professor Xu Shu, Vice Dean of the Law School. The8-member squad was led by Cai Wanting, an undergraduate student of the Class of2021, and comprised fellow Class of 2021 undergraduates Zhuang Xin, ZhongYuanci, Sun Jinya, Mo Xiaoqian and Fu Nanxiang, together with Class of 2022undergraduates Zeng Yahui and Ruan Yiqi, all of whom travelled to Hong Kong totake part in the competition.
During the Vis East Moot,four team members—CaiWanting, Fu Nanxiang, Mo Xiaoqian and Ruan Yiqi—servedas oral advocates. They competed against teams from the Diplomatic Academy ofVietnam, National Law University, Jodhpur, University of Sebelas Maret andDiponegoro University, delivering outstanding performances that won high praisefrom the arbitral tribunal.
This achievement comes at atime when the Law School of South China University of Technology is celebratingits 20th anniversary. Following the team’ssuccess in winning the Best Memorandum Award at the 21st ChinaInternational Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) InternationalCommercial Arbitration Moot, the latest honour—theHonourable Mention for Best Memorandum on Behalf of Respondent at the 21st VisEast Moot—continues the school’s streak of excellence. It once again affirms the solid legalprofessionalism and steadfast attitude of the Law School’s students on the international stage. Standing at this newhistorical juncture, the Law School of South China University of Technologywill continue to uphold its motto of Erudition, Deliberation,Discrimination, and Dedication to Practice. It will further expand andstrengthen its international commercial moot arbitration team, showcasing thecomprehensive and high-quality legal education level of Chinese universities tothe world.
