FDI Moot highlights role of Shenzhen in arbitration

The 2026 Foreign Direct Investment International Arbitration Moot concluded in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, on Tuesday, marking a milestone in the southern Chinese city's efforts to establish itself as a leading hub for international investment arbitration.

The event brought together 72 teams from 33 countries and regions, along with nearly 200 arbitrators and expert judges from 37 countries and regions, highlighting Shenzhen's growing role in international arbitration and legal cooperation.

For the first time in its 20-year history, the FDI Moot Globals took place in China, hosted by the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration.

Ignazio Castellucci, a professor of comparative law at the University of Teramo and an SCIA arbitrator, described the timing as "perfect". Shenzhen, he said, "is one of the major arbitration hubs worldwide", and hosting the finals here benefits not only the city and the SCIA but also the global arbitration community.

The SCIA introduced the FDI Moot competition to Shenzhen in 2020 and has since hosted seven consecutive Chinese regional qualifying competitions, helping cultivate legal professionals with expertise in foreign-related affairs.

The progression from hosting regional qualifying rounds to the global finals reflects both the SCIA's years of commitment to the competition and Shenzhen's advances in international arbitration, said Huang Guoyong, assistant president and director of the International Cooperation and Development Department of the SCIA.

"As a pioneer of China's reform and opening-up, Shenzhen, boasting modern infrastructure and an international vibe, provides an excellent stage for young legal professionals across the globe," he said.

The five-day competition featured simulated arbitration proceedings conducted entirely in English under standardized international arbitration procedures. Organizers provided teams with a comprehensive case file, including background information and supporting evidence.

During the hearings, teams addressed procedural and substantive legal issues, presented oral arguments and answered questions from arbitral tribunals, mirroring actual arbitration proceedings. Judges assessed their overall performance to determine the results.

Rouven Bodenheimer, vice-president of the German Arbitration Institute, said the FDI Moot follows a global touring model designed to bring students from different countries together to compete, build friendships and establish professional connections that may last throughout their careers. As a special economic zone and a frontier of China's opening-up, Shenzhen provides an ideal platform for promoting international arbitration cooperation.

Tobias Orbay, a member of the Czech team, said the FDI Moot is one of the most prestigious competitions in investor-state arbitration, offering law students a valuable opportunity to develop their professional skills.

He said Shenzhen's modern infrastructure and international atmosphere provided an excellent environment for participants to hone their legal research, drafting and advocacy skills while gaining deeper insights into international dispute settlement mechanisms.

Hanna Tobiasz, a member of the Polish team, said the competition enabled participants to undertake practical training based on a highly realistic case, which would benefit their future careers.

"Shenzhen is a fantastic host city for an international investment arbitration moot and a wonderful city in its own right," she said.

The FDI Moot is widely regarded as one of the world's leading international law mooting competitions and is a premier global competition focused on investor-state arbitration.

In recent years, the SCIA has strengthened its position among the world's leading arbitration institutions. In 2025, it accepted more than 14,000 new commercial arbitration cases, with the total amount in dispute reaching 154.3 billion yuan ($23.1 billion). The amount exceeded 100 billion yuan for the fourth consecutive year.

Cheng Jiayi contributed to this story.