From March 22 to 25, 2025, the offline knockout rounds of the APAC Vis Pre-Moot, organized by the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC), took place in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. Making its historic debut at this prestigious event, the BNU team delivered an outstanding performance. After battling through four round-robin matches and three consecutive knockout rounds, the team triumphantly secured a spot in the Global Top Eight!

Global Top 8 Award Certificate

01 Competition Introduction

The APAC Vis Pre-Moot is organized by the Asian International Arbitration Centre and is a preliminary competition for the Willem C. Vis Moot International Commercial Arbitration Moot Court Competition, similar to the CIETAC Cup, primarily targeting law schools in the Asia-Pacific region. This year's competition attracted ninety-seven teams from Asia, Europe, America, Africa, and other regions to compete. The APAC Vis Pre-Moot consists of two stages: the General rounds and the Elimination rounds, with the General rounds conducted online and the Elimination rounds held offline.

02 Team Introduction

Under the guidance of coach Professor Pei Yang, the BNU Vis-moot team was led by Captain Liu Huixin. The squad was composed of undergraduate students from the Elite Experimental Class in Law: Jiao Yang and Li Yifei (Class of 2023) competed as debaters, while Zhang Tingting, Liu Xinyue (Class of 2022), and Xu Han, Wang Zhenghan (Class of 2023) served as team members.

BNU Vis Moot Team with the arbitrators

BNU Vis Moot Team with SLSH University (India)

03 Event Review

From February 15 to 18, 2025, the APAC Vis Pre-Moot round-robin stages were held online. Representing Beijing Normal University, team members Jiao Yang, Xu Han, and Li Yifei delivered compelling oral arguments in English against prestigious international opponents, including the University of Baghdad (Iraq), the University of Zimbabwe, Amity Law School (India), and NALSAR Law School (India). Delivering stellar performances, our team stood out among a highly competitive field of ninety-seven teams from around the world, successfully advancing to the Global Top 32 and securing a berth in the offline knockout rounds.

BNU Vis Moot Team round-robin match highlights

From March 22 to 25, the APAC Vis Pre-Moot knockout rounds were held offline at the Borneo International Centre for Arbitration and Mediation (BICAM) in Sabah, Malaysia. The BNU team was represented by four members: Liu Huixin, Jiao Yang, Li Yifei, and Xu Han, with Jiao Yang and Li Yifei taking on the roles of debaters.

On the first day, the BNU team defeated East China University of Political Science and Law and India's NALSAR Law School in the Round of 16 and Quarterfinals, respectively. Along with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, they became the only two Chinese teams to advance to the Global Top Eight.

The following day, facing the host powerhouse, the University of Malaya, the team demonstrated remarkable composure and solid advocacy skills. Despite a hard-fought battle, they were narrowly edged out by a mere 0.5 points, concluding their run in the quarterfinals.

Beyond being a top-tier arbitration contest, the event served as an invaluable platform for learning and exchange. Throughout their time in Malaysia, our students engaged in substantive discussions with senior arbitration experts, international arbitrators, and elite teams from across the globe. This experience not only shaped their professional legal skills but also broadened their international horizons and offered practical exposure to international arbitration practice.

Highlights from the BNU Vis Moot Team elimination rounds

Finally, we extend our deepest gratitude to Coach Pei Yang, external legal experts, and our alumni for their unwavering guidance and support of the BNU Vis Moot team. We will build upon this experience, learn from the competition, and strive for even greater success in future domestic and international moot court arenas!