From April 9th to 12th, 2026, the 18th Frankfurt International Investment Arbitration Moot Court—CIETAC China (Mainland) Qualifying Round was held in Guangzhou. The tournament was hosted by the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) and organized by the Law School of Sun Yat-sen University, CIETAC Hong Kong Arbitration Center, and CIETAC South China Sub-Commission. Nearly 40 universities across the country participated in the event, including well-known institutions such as Tsinghua University, Peking University, Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Sun Yat-sen University.
Lawyer Yang Lun arrived at the competition venue
Lawyer Mengfei of Mengfei received an official interview with CIETAC
Cai Mengfei received an official interview from CIETAC
In this tournament, Lawyer Yang Lun from Beijing Long An (Guangzhou) Law Firm and Lawyer Cai Mengfei were invited to serve as arbitrators. Both lawyers served as arbitrators in a total of seven matches. During the arbitration process, the two lawyers utilized their extensive practical experience in cross-border legal services. With a rigorous, meticulous, and impartial professional attitude, they strictly followed the rules and guidelines provided by the organizers to professionally assess the contestants’ theoretical knowledge, legal reasoning, courtroom skills, and practical abilities in investment arbitration. Their performance was highly praised by the tournament organizers.
Lawyer Yang Lun, drawing on his practical legal experience, provided effective advice to the contestants on how to identify key facts in cases, accurately apply legal authorities from different jurisdictions, and maximize client interests.
Lawyer Yang Lun used his practical legal experience to offer useful guidance to the contestants on identifying critical case facts, accurately applying legal authorities across different jurisdictions, and maximizing client interests.
Lawyer Cai Mengfei, based on her experiences as both counsel and arbitrator, gave targeted advice to the contestants regarding the organization of written submissions, oral advocacy in English, and interactive skills during hearings.
Lawyer Cai Mengfei, leveraging her dual perspectives as counsel and arbitrator, provided specific recommendations to the contestants regarding the organization of written submissions, oral advocacy in English, and interactive skills during hearings.
The two lawyers took photos with the arbitrators and contestants at the same event
Group photos of the matches
International investment arbitration is a specialized arbitration procedure for resolving investment disputes between foreign investors and host states. In the context of China’s enterprises gradually expanding overseas, investment arbitration has become a crucial mechanism for protecting the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises abroad. Handling investment arbitration cases requires lawyers to be able to apply international treaties, bilateral investment agreements, and host state laws effectively. They also need to understand the political and economic environments, cultural differences, and latest practices in international arbitration.
The invitation of Lawyer Yang Lun and Lawyer Cai Mengfei to serve as arbitrators in the 18th Frankfurt International Investment Moot Arbitration Competition highlights the professional capabilities of lawyers from Beijing Long An (Guangzhou) Law Firm in cross-border dispute resolution. Their professional skills and influence have gained wider recognition.
It is worth noting that Lawyer Yang Lun and Lawyer Cai Mengfei were invited to serve as arbitrators in the 18th Frankfurt International Investment Moot Arbitration Competition. This is another time they have been invited to serve as arbitrators in top international moot court competitions. Their repeated appointments to such competitions demonstrate the widespread recognition of their professional abilities by practitioners and academics around the world. Their performance in these competitions has also contributed to the further enhancement of Long An Guangzhou’s international reputation.
In the future, Long An Guangzhou will continue to rely on its skilled professionals to improve its capabilities in cross-border dispute resolution and to showcase its professional strength and brand competitiveness on the global stage of international legal services.
About the Competition
The Frankfurt International Investment Arbitration Moot Court is one of the most influential international competitions in the field of international investment law and investment arbitration. It has been held 18 times since 2008.
In 2019, in response to the “Belt and Road” initiative, with the support of the Ministry of Commerce, CIETAC introduced this competition to the Chinese mainland. 28 preparatory events were held in Xi’an, a key point on the Silk Road. Since 2021, the CIETAC China (Mainland) Qualifying Round has become the main way for university teams from the Chinese mainland to participate in the international rounds of the Frankfurt International Investment Arbitration Moot Court.
About the Lawyers
Lawyer Yang Lun
Lawyer Yang Lun graduated from the Law School of Sun Yat-sen University and the Law School of Vanderbilt University in the United States, obtaining a Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in law, respectively. Since starting his practice, he has focused on commercial legal services for foreign companies, intellectual property rights, and cross-border dispute resolution. He is currently a new talent in foreign-related law among lawyers in Guangdong Province and serves as the deputy secretary-general of the Haizhu branch of the Guangzhou Oumeisuoshanghao Association.
Lawyer Yang Lun has provided legal services to many well-known multinational companies, large state-owned enterprises, and private companies. His services include corporate investment, labor relations, intellectual property protection, and data compliance. In terms of expanding into international markets, Lawyer Yang Lun is a researcher at the Long An Bay ASEAN Legal Research Center. He has established a network of partnerships in several major Asian countries, including the United States, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, and Vietnam. Before joining Long An Law Firm, he worked in two leading boutique law firms in China.
Lawyer Cai Mengfei
Lawyer Cai Mengfei holds a Master’s degree in Procedural Law from Renmin University of China and is a new talent in foreign-related law in Guangdong Province. She is a lawyer at Beijing Long An (Guangzhou) Law Firm and primarily works from the Guangzhou office.
With many years of experience, Lawyer Cai Mengfei specializes in dispute resolution, intellectual property rights, international trade, and debt collection. She has extensive experience in resolving complex legal issues, especially in applying theoretical knowledge to practical situations. She has provided legal services to many large companies, foreign companies, and Sino-foreign joint ventures. Her services include new consumer products, new media, and construction projects. She has successfully resolved domain name disputes, construction project settlements, and trademark protection issues. She has also helped clients with equity investment frameworks, providing comprehensive legal services.
Lawyer Cai Mengfei holds a Master’s degree in Procedural Law from Renmin University of China. She works in Chinese and English. Before joining Long An Law Firm, she worked in several leading law firms in China.