On 30 June 2025, the Xiamen Academy of International Law opened its 18th Summer Programme in Xiamen in a milestone year marking the Academy’s 20th anniversary. The two-week programme brought together 136 participants from 13 countries across Asia, Africa, South America and Oceania for intensive study, exchange and dialogue on the frontiers of international law.

The opening ceremony was attended by leading international law scholars from China and abroad, including Professor ZHANG Yuejiao, former Chair of the WTO Appellate Body and recipient of China’s national honorary title “Reform Pioneer”, as well as representatives from Fujian Province, Xiamen Municipality, the judiciary, the legal profession, Xiamen University and Xiamen University School of Law. Their presence reflected the broad support for the Academy’s mission of cultivating international law talent with a global vision. The session of welcome addresses and Academy reports was chaired by Dr. SU Yu, Co-Secretary-General of the Academy’s Administrative Council and Assistant Professor at the School of Law, Xiamen University.

Mr. SUN Li, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Xiamen University, delivered a welcome address on behalf of Xiamen University. He warmly welcomed the guests, faculty members and participants, and commended the Academy’s achievements over the past two decades in promoting international legal education and exchange. He noted that the Academy has become an important window through which China’s international law community engages with the world, and affirmed that Xiamen University will continue to support the Academy’s development.

Professor XU Chongli, Co-President of the Academy and Vice President of the Chinese Society of International Economic Law, also delivered a welcome address. Looking back on the Academy’s development since its establishment in 2005, he recalled its founding mission of promoting research and exchange in international law and strengthening international cooperation. He also highlighted the Academy’s contribution to the training of more than 2,000 international law professionals from around the world.

The guest remarks brought together five distinguished voices in international law. Professor ZHANG Yuejiao of Tsinghua University School of Law, former Chair of the WTO Appellate Body and Honorary President of the International Commercial Dispute Prevention and Settlement Organization, reflected on the role of international law in supporting the multilateral trading system. Professor Edward Gamaya Hoseah, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Iringa, shared perspectives from the practice of international law in Africa. Professor HUANG Jiefang, Zhou Gengsheng Chair Professor at Wuhan University and Secretary-General of the Asian Academy of International Law, discussed recent developments in international air law. Professor Mathias G. Sahinkuye, Programme Director of the African Institute of International Law, addressed international law and China-Africa cooperation. Professor Paul B. Stephan of the University of Virginia School of Law offered comparative insights into the development of international law.

In the Academy report session, Dr. YU Zhanmin, Co-Secretary-General of the Academy’s Administrative Council and Assistant Professor at the School of Law, Xiamen University, introduced the curriculum and teaching arrangements for this year’s program. Professor ZENG Huaqun, Co-President of the Academy, presented a report on the Academy’s development over the past two decades, reviewing its founding mission, academic traditions and the support that has sustained its development. Participants also watched a commemorative video marking the Academy’s 20th anniversary. The bilingual volume The Founding and Development of the Xiamen Academy of International Law 2005-2025, prepared by the Secretariat of the Academy’s Administrative Council, was also released at the ceremony.

The opening lectures were chaired by Professor ZHAO Yun, Secretary-General of the Academy’s Curatorium and Vice Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Hong Kong. Professor ZHANG Yuejiao delivered a lecture entitled “The Evolution, Current State and Future Prospects of International Dispute Resolution”. Professor HUANG Jiefang spoke on “Contributions of Air Law to the International Community as a Whole”. Professor Mathias G. Sahinkuye delivered a lecture entitled “Navigating Global Governance: The Role of International Law in Shaping China-Africa Collaboration”.

The two-week Summer Programme focused on frontier issues in international law and combined theoretical depth with practical relevance. Professor Paul B. Stephan of the University of Virginia School of Law examined “International Law and Big Data”, with particular attention to the legal challenges raised by digital technologies, artificial intelligence, privacy and ethics. Professor Chin Leng Lim of the Chinese University of Hong Kong taught “International Arbitration”, drawing on rich practical experience and comparative examples from different jurisdictions.

Professor Ulrich G. Schroeter of the University of Basel offered a course on “Contemporary Challenges of International Uniform Law for Commercial Sales”, guiding participants to reconsider the application of the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) in the digital economy, including the rise of cross-border e-commerce. Professor Frederick M. Abbott of Florida State University taught “Intellectual Property at the Science and Technology Frontier”, addressing questions such as intellectual property protection for AI-generated works and emerging technologies. Associate Professor FANG Dong of Xiamen University School of Law examined “The Legitimacy of Unauthorized Unilateral Countermeasures in the WTO System”, offering a close analysis of classic WTO cases and new challenges facing international trade dispute settlement.

The programme attracted a diverse group of participants, including university teachers and students, government officials, practising lawyers and other professionals. This diversity created a valuable platform for international and cross-sector exchange, allowing participants to learn not only from the lecturers, but also from one another.

Beyond the classroom, the Academy arranged visits to the Maritime Silk Road Central Legal District and the International Law and Commerce Integration Service Base, where participants observed innovative local practices in the integration of law and business. Academic salons provided further opportunities for discussion on topics including agricultural trade disputes and the law of the sea. At the farewell gathering, participants from different countries shared music, dance and games, deepening friendship and cross-cultural understanding in a warm and relaxed atmosphere.

The closing ceremony was held on 11 July and was chaired by Dr. SU Yu. Professor ZENG Huaqun congratulated the participants on completing the programme and encouraged them to carry forward the Academy’s mission by turning what they had learned into practical strength for promoting the international rule of law. Participant representatives from China, Indonesia, Brazil and other countries shared their reflections on the programme, while a volunteer representative spoke about the dedication and growth of the student volunteers. Professor ZENG Huaqun, Professor LI Guoan an

d Dr. YU Zhanmin then presented certificates to participants and volunteers, bringing the programme to a successful close.

Founded in 2005, the Xiamen Academy of International Law is the first international institution in the Asia-Pacific region dedicated specifically to international law. Over the past two decades, it has remained committed to training high-level international law talent and promoting international legal scholarship and exchange. Its Collected Courses of the Xiamen Academy of International Law, published in English by Brill, have now reached 12 volumes and have become an important scholarly resource in the field.

Looking ahead, the Academy will continue to uphold the spirit of “Four Seas, One Family”, contribute legal wisdom to the promotion of the international rule of law, and support the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. In a summer marked by learning, friendship and exchange, the Academy’s 20th anniversary offered not only an opportunity for reflection, but also a new starting point for the years ahead.