The 21st Chinese Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition was held online from February 24 to March 1 2023. A total of 57 universities from China’s Mainland participated in this event, the number reaching a record high. Fudan University team won the first prize and “Best Memorial of Respondent” award (The second place). Zhou Yi won the “Best Oralist” award.

Fudan University team consists of Huang Xinyu (2022 graduate) as the team leader and oralist, Wu Yuanjun (2022 graduate), Zhou Yi (2022 graduate), Zhang Zhihan (2022 graduate) as oralists, and Lan Xinmin (2022 graduate) as a researcher. Professor Lu Zhian was the coach of the team. Chen Keyan (2018 undergraduate) and Wu Tong (2019 undergraduate) also provided help in legal research.

The competition topics of this year included widely discussed issues in international jurisprudence, such as the interpretation of a peace treaty, deadly attacks in allegedly occupied territory, unilateral economic sanctions, and the legal consequences of failing to dispose of hazardous waste properly. Since the announcement of the topics in September 2022, the team members prepared methodically and drafted clear, comprehensive and detailed memorial. In the round robins, Fudan University team performed strongly with the well-reasoned arguments and excellent teamwork, demonstrating the solid legal foundation of Fudan students.

“Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition” was founded in 1959 and hosted by the International Law Students Association (ILSA). It is the largest and oldest moot court competition in the world, known as the “International Olympiad” of law. It strives to enhance the knowledge and practical skills of university students in international law by emulating the courtroom process of the United Nations International Court of Justice.

Fudan University team won the championship in the 1st Chinese Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition in 2003. As the only representative of Chinese universities, it went to Washington, USA to participate in the Jessup International Round. Over the past 21 years, under the guidance of Professor Lu Zhian, Fudan University team has continued to participate in the competition every year. The competition results demonstrated Fudan University Law School’s strength in talent training and global legal education.