Law competition boosts foreign-related legal skills

A competition aimed at promoting talent education in handling international legal matters kicked off on Saturday in Beijing, drawing 140 law students from across China.

The two-day event, run entirely in English, was organized by the China University of Political Science and Law, marking its fourth edition.

Following a competitive selection process, 57 students from 43 law schools in the Chinese mainland and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region advanced to the semi-finals. In this round, they are tested on their overall ability to address foreign-related legal issues in English through a series of exercises, including drafting a mock corporate compliance plan, mock foreign-related negotiations, a foreign-related legal speech, and a mock commercial arbitration.

Since its launch in 2023, the competition has remained focused on its core mission: training practice-oriented legal professionals for cross-border matters. To date, it has attracted 586 law students from 147 universities across 45 Chinese cities.

Open to both undergraduates and postgraduates, the competition features moot arbitration, mock negotiations, and the provision of legal advice in simulated commercial disputes. Participants are also required to answer judges' questions following their presentations on contemporary legal issues.

By strengthening participants' hands-on legal skills and overall competence, the nationwide competition has built a multidisciplinary, practice-driven learning system, and has also provided a new approach to reforming how China trains talent in the field of foreign-related law.

Lu Chunlong, vice-president of the China University of Political Science and Law, spoke highly of the competition, saying that it offers students nationwide a practical setting and a high-quality platform to deepen their legal knowledge and learn how to handle legal issues.

He urged participants to seize the opportunity to showcase their skills and gain experience, adding that feedback from judges and experts during the competition will also help students grow and improve legal education.