The 24th John H. Jackson Moot Court Competition (JHJ-WTO Competition) East Asia & Oceania Regional Round was recently held at the WTO Chair at University of International Business and Economics (UIBE). This prestigious international event was hosted in mainland China for the first time, attracting 18 university teams from Indonesia, Brunei, Vietnam, mainland China, and Chinese Taipei. The UIBE team delivered an outstanding performance across four intense rounds, advancing to the final and ultimately claiming the championship title. The team also swept three Best Oralist awards and two Best Written Submission awards, while securing qualification for the Global Finals to be held at WTO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, in late June.  

                                         

The JHJ-WTO Competition was founded in 2002 by the European Law Students' Association (ELSA). Co-organized annually by the WTO Secretariat together with leading international law firms and world-renowned universities, it is the most authoritative student moot court competition in the field of WTO law. The competition, conducted entirely in English, comprises both written submission and oral pleading stages, offering a comprehensive assessment of participants' legal research, writing, and advocacy skills in international trade law. It is recognized for its considerable technical difficulty and professional rigor.

This year's UIBE team was coached by CHANG Tianzi and YUAN Hao, both students of the "Elite Program for Foreign-Related Economic and Trade Legal Talents" at UIBE and quarter-finalists in the previous edition of the Global Finals. The oralists were NI Zulin, YIN Sitian, and LU Yanmi, all outstanding members of the program. LONG Yue, an undergraduate law student, served as researcher and team captain.

The Asia-Pacific Regional Round saw a record number of participating teams this year, joined by an exceptionally distinguished panel of judges. The adjudicating bench was led by former WTO Appellate Body Members — Professors James Bacchus, Peter Van den Bossche, and ZHAO Hong — alongside Professor Werner Zdouc, former Director of the WTO Appellate Body Secretariat, and Professor YANG Guohua, arbitrator of the WTO Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA). Over twenty renowned scholars and practitioners in international economic and trade law from the United States, Europe, Southeast Asia, and across China contributed their deep expertise, rigorous standards, and invaluable feedback throughout the competition. Their involvement elevated this year's regional round to a level of professionalism and authority commensurate with the Global Finals, ensuring that every award was fully earned.

In the preliminary rounds, the UIBE team faced Universitas Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA) from Brunei and Shanghai University of International Business and Economics. The UIBE oralists maintained exceptional consistency across both rounds, delivering poised and well-reasoned pleadings that reflected thorough legal research and a nuanced command of the case material. With strong performances in both preliminary matches, the UIBE team advanced to the semi-finals ranked second overall.

The semi-finals saw UIBE pitted against another traditional Asia-Pacific powerhouse — Soochow University from Chinese Taipei. The UIBE oralists continued their composed and meticulous approach, fielding questions with confidence and constructing well-substantiated arguments. The team's performance reflected the depth and consistency of a program with a rich tradition in WTO moot court competition. UIBE advanced to the final with the highest combined score of the semi-final round. Oralists NI Zulin and YIN Sitian were each named "Best Oralist of the Semi-Finals."

In the final, the UIBE team faced Wuhan University before a panel that included three former WTO Appellate Body Members and two co-authors of the competition case. Confronted with rounds of intense and rapid-fire questioning from the bench, the UIBE oralists responded with composure and precision, drawing on rigorous research and well-honed advocacy skills. Their performance showcased exceptional professional competence and extraordinary depth of academic research. The UIBE team was crowned champion, and oralist NI Zulin was awarded "Best Oralist of the Final." In addition, the team claimed two of the three Best Written Submission awards — Best Written Submission for Respondent and Overall Best Written Submission.

This championship victory marks yet another breakthrough achievement for the UIBE team, following last year's top-four finish at the Global Finals. It affirms UIBE's strength in teaching and research in international economic and trade law, and underscores the University's sustained commitment to cultivating internationalized, interdisciplinary legal professionals equipped for foreign-related legal practice.