On December 6, 2025, the 2025 Academic Annual Conference of the Guangdong Law Society's Civil and Commercial Law Research Association, alongside the academic seminar on "Theoretical Innovation and Practical Development of Civil and Commercial Law in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area", officially commenced in Zhuhai.

This prestigious event was organized by the Guangdong Law Society's Civil and Commercial Law Research Association and co-hosted by the Law School of Beijing Normal University, the Center on the Rule of Law and Development of BNU Zhuhai, and the Zhuhai International Arbitration Center (Hengqin International Arbitration Center), with support from Guoxin Xinyang Law Firm. The conference brought together over a hundred authoritative experts, scholars, judicial practitioners, and promising young academics from leading universities, research institutions, and practical sectors nationwide, as well as from Hong Kong and Macao. Against the backdrop of national strategic development, participants engaged in high-level, in-depth, and multi-dimensional academic exchanges and intellectual discourse on emerging civil and commercial law issues in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Opening Ceremony: A Gathering of Talents to Unveil a New Chapter in Academia

At 9 a.m., the opening ceremony commenced in a packed Xingguang Hall at the Zhuhai Resort Xingguang Conference Center, buzzing with anticipation. The session was presided over by Yu Haiyong, Professor at Sun Yat-sen University’s Law School and Executive Vice President of the Research Association.

Wang Gang, member of the Party Leadership Group and Vice President of the Zhuhai International Arbitration Court, delivered remarks on behalf of the host institution. He extended a warm welcome to all attendees and underscored the unique value, practical mission, and platform strengths of arbitration as a diversified dispute resolution mechanism in advancing the development of a law-based business environment in the Greater Bay Area.

Yuan Zhijie, Professor and Vice Dean of the Law School of Beijing Normal University and Director of the Center for Rule of Law Development Research at the Zhuhai Campus, delivered remarks as a representative of the organizer. He provided a comprehensive overview of the Law School, highlighting its century-old heritage, the strategic location of the Zhuhai campus, and its active efforts in serving national strategies. He further detailed the School's work in promoting cross-border legal research, comparative law studies, and the cultivation of high-end legal talent. Yuan specifically emphasized the mission of the Zhuhai campus's Center for Rule of Law and Development as an academic platform rooted in the Greater Bay Area, designed to foster legal innovation and the alignment of rules across the three regions. He expressed his hope that the conference would build consensus and contribute solid intellectual insights from Beijing Normal University to the development of the Greater Bay Area.

Liu Yudong, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Executive Deputy Director of the Management Committee of Guoxin Xinyang Law Firm, delivered remarks on behalf of the co-organizers. Drawing from the front lines of legal practice, he shared insights into the emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities in civil and commercial law within the Greater Bay Area. He expressed the legal community's strong desire to deepen theoretical research, foster robust academia-industry collaboration, and jointly advance legal practice.

Zhou Linbin, Professor at Sun Yat-sen University’s Law School, Vice President of the China Law Society’s Commercial Law Research Association, and President of the Guangdong Law Society’s Civil and Commercial Law Research Association, delivered remarks on behalf of the association. He reviewed and commended the association’s achievements over the past year, elaborating on the annual meeting’s theme—“Theoretical Innovation and Practical Development of Civil and Commercial Law in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area”—and its historical context and significance. He also offered forward-looking insights into key directions and collaborative pathways for future civil and commercial law research in the Greater Bay Area.

Wang Li, Deputy Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission of the Zhuhai Municipal Committee and Vice President of the Zhuhai Law Society, delivered remarks on behalf of the Zhuhai Law Society. She outlined Zhuhai’s specific measures and achievements in advancing high-level rule of law and supporting high-quality development in the Greater Bay Area, and extended her sincere gratitude to all experts and scholars for their continued intellectual support for Zhuhai’s legal practice.

Wang Bo, Director of the Legislative Affairs Committee of the Standing Committee of the Guangdong Provincial People's Congress and Vice President of the Guangdong Law Society, extended warm congratulations on the convening of the annual meeting. From the perspective of local legislation and rule of law practice, he emphasized the fundamental importance of innovation in civil and commercial law theory for supporting the high-quality economic development of the Greater Bay Area and shaping a world-class business environment. He also highly affirmed the future work of the research association and expressed his earnest expectations.

The speeches of the guests were insightful and provided different perspectives on the significant importance of civil and commercial law development in the Greater Bay Area, laying a solid foundation for subsequent academic discussions. After the opening ceremony, all attendees took a group photo.

Keynote Speech: Focusing on the Forefront and Analyzing the Trends in the Rule of Law.

The keynote speech session was moderated by Professor Chen Xiaojun, Chief Expert of the Yunshan Law Studio at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Honorary Dean of the Institute of Land Law, and Honorary President of the Research Association, and Professor Zhu Ciyun, Professor of the Law School at Tsinghua University and Executive Vice President of the China Law Society's Commercial Law Research Association.

Wang Liming, professor at the Law School of Renmin University of China, vice president of the China Law Society, and president of the Civil Law Research Association of the China Law Society, took the lead in deeply analyzing the new issue of "torts and responses to generative artificial intelligence" in this era, which sparked profound thinking on cutting-edge issues of technology ethics and legal regulation.

Zhao Xudong, professor at the School of Civil and Commercial Law of China University of Political Science and Law and president of the China Law Society's Commercial Law Research Association, focused on "Several Issues in the Judicial Interpretation of the New Company Law," providing authoritative academic guidance for understanding and applying the new Company Law.

Shen Sibao, professor at the Law School of the University of International Business and Economics and president of the China Law Society's International Economic Law Research Association, shared his "Thoughts on Implementing the New Arbitration Law," providing valuable insights for the optimization and innovation of diversified dispute resolution mechanisms.

Ma Zhengping, deputy director of the Civil Law Office of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, provided an authoritative interpretation of "the amendments to the foreign-related parts of the Arbitration Law and arbitration in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area," highlighting the country's firm support for the rule of law in foreign-related matters in the Greater Bay Area.

Gao Shengping, a standing director of the Law School of Renmin University of China and the Civil Law Research Association of the China Law Society, conducted an in-depth discussion on "Atypical Guarantee System in the Civil Code: Problems and Prospects," which deepened his understanding of the modernization of guarantee transactions and legal practice.

Professor Zhou Linbin, President of the Guangdong Law Society's Civil and Commercial Law Research Association, presented an innovative and practical approach to rule alignment in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, using the example of the application of commercial industry regulations in commercial arbitration.

Jing Hui, a tenured associate professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Hong Kong, presented "Implications of Zhang Lan's Family Trust for the Application of Mainland Trust Law," providing a compelling comparative law perspective and case study for cross-border wealth management.

Seven reports closely aligned with theoretical frontiers and practical hotspots, rich in content, highly forward-looking and inspiring, with enthusiastic on-site interactions and continuous applause. After the report session, the attendees engaged in brief discussions during a tea break.

Roundtable Forum and Thematic Discussions: Multidimensional In-depth Exchanges That Spark Academic Insights.

The roundtable forum closely followed the conference theme, focusing in stages on the fields of civil law and commercial law.

The first phase on Civil Law was jointly chaired by Ma Xusheng, Party Secretary and Vice President of the Research Association of Guangdong University of Foreign Languages and Arts, and Zhang Yaping, Professor and Dean of Guangdong University of Finance. Guests including Wu Xueting, former Deputy Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Vice President of the Zhuhai International Arbitration Court; Liu Yunsheng, Dean of the Law School of Guangzhou University; Gao Fei, Dean of the Institute of Land Law of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies; and Bi Jingwei, Associate Professor of the Faculty of Law of Macau University of Science and Technology, shared their insightful views on topics such as arbitration practice, property rights theory, land law, and Macau civil law practice.

The second phase on Commercial Law was chaired by Professor Long Zhuohua of the Law School at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies and Zhu Zhifeng, Director of the Editorial Department of Social Science Front. Speakers including Cai Yuanqing, professor at the Law School of Shenzhen University; Li Xiaoguang, former secretary-general of the South China Branch of the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission; Yu Haiyong, professor at the Law School of Sun Yat-sen University; and Shen Yunqiao, associate professor at the Faculty of Law of Macau University of Science and Technology, conducted in-depth discussions on cutting-edge issues such as the understanding of the new Company Law, the development of arbitration, and the coordination of commercial law in the Greater Bay Area.

The thematic discussion session delved deeply into cutting-edge topics.

In the afternoon, thematic discussions took place simultaneously in three sub-venues, covering multiple hot topics such as land legal systems, corporate governance, and the integration of regulations in the Greater Bay Area.

First Sub-venue: Land Legislation and Real Estate Guarantee Innovation

Professor Zeng Xiangsheng (Law School, Guangdong University of Finance and Economics) and Editor Li Tao (Jianghan Forum) co-chaired the discussion at this session. Professor Wang Rongzhen (Guangdong University of Foreign Studies), Assistant Researcher Cao Yifeng (Guangdong University of Foreign Studies), Lecturer Sun Congcong (Guangdong University of Foreign Studies), Dr. Zhou Shanzhao (South China University of Technology), Dr. He Yaping (Guangdong University of Foreign Studies), Dr. Yang Zhigang (Shenzhen University), and other scholars published research reports on topics such as land management rights registration, farmers' housing security, extension of rural contracted land, real estate trust registration, transfer of mortgaged movable property, and validity of pledge contracts. During the discussion session, experts including Associate Editor Chen Huini (Yunnan Social Sciences), Assistant Professor Shen Changhui (Sun Yat-sen University), Associate Professor Zhang Jicheng (South China University of Technology), Associate Professor Zhang Yuxin (University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Zhongshan Institute), Distinguished Associate Researcher Liang Yuangao (Shenzhen University), and Associate Professor Niu Zihan (Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai Campus) provided in-depth comments and exchanges on the report.

Second Sub-venue: Modernization of Corporate Governance and ESG Challenges

This session was co-chaired by Professor Zhao Jingchen (Dean of the Law School, Guangdong University of Finance and Economics) and Researcher Gou Zhengjin (Journal of Southwest University for Nationalities). Professor Guan Xinrong (South China University of Technology), Assistant Professor Huang Haiyan (Shenzhen University), Lecturer Ye Jialiang, Executive Dean Cong Shan (Dongguan City College), Dr. Lin Huashan (The Chinese University of Hong Kong), Dr. Xu Qiye (Macau University of Science and Technology), Dr. Cao Zuopeng (Guangdong University of Foreign Studies), and other scholars conducted in-depth discussions on topics such as corporate climate responsibility, corporate law in the digital economy, piercing the corporate veil, ESG and employee participation, nominee shareholding, and cross-border gambling debt handling. The experts who participated in the discussion included Li Jiaxin, editor (Journal of Social Sciences of Jilin University), Professor Yuan Bihua (Guangzhou University), Associate Professor Liao Yanpin (Sun Yat-sen University), Associate Professor Cai Wei (Sun Yat-sen University), Associate Professor Lü Chenglong (Shenzhen University), and Dr. Zhong Junjie (Macau University of Science and Technology), providing a multi-dimensional perspective for the discussion.

Third Sub-venue: Coordination of Rules in the Greater Bay Area and Development of Arbitration

Professor Zhang Han (Law School, South China University of Technology) and Professor Shi Guanbin (Law School, Guangzhou University) co-chaired this session. Associate Professor Du Ruyi (Jinan University), Lecturer Zhong Wencai (Guangdong University of Finance), Lecturer Wang Houwei (University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Zhongshan Institute), Dr. Jia Huaiyu (Guangzhou Arbitration Commission), Dr. Chen Yawen (Sun Yat-sen University), and Dr. Dong Jiachao (Sun Yat-sen University) exchanged views on topics such as the rules of advance contract in the Greater Bay Area, the legislation on insider trading in Macao, ancillary obligations under contracts, the powers of commercial arbitration institutions, innovative ideas for rule connection, and the right of simultaneous performance defense. The discussion session invited experts including Yang Wende (editor of Gansu Social Sciences), Lü Xuan (associate professor of South China University of Technology), Liu Yudong (senior partner of Guoxin Xinyang Law Firm), Zhang Zongqing (associate professor of BNU Zhuhai), Ouyang Baiguo (director of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China Zhongshan Institute), and Guo Yuan (lecturer of BNU Zhuhai) to participate in the discussion.

The discussions across all sub-venues were vibrant, marked by constructive and in-depth interactions between presenters and reviewers that showcased a productive dialogue between academia and practice.

The successful convening of this conference stands as a significant testament to Beijing Normal University's active service to the national strategy of building the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. By establishing this academic platform, the Law School of Beijing Normal University has made positive contributions to fostering academic exchange and cooperation within the region's legal community, while also providing valuable theoretical support and practical references for advancing the rule of law in the Greater Bay Area. Looking ahead, the Law School remains committed to leveraging its disciplinary strengths and focusing on major national strategic needs to contribute even more "BNU wisdom" to the rule of law construction in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.