Shenzhen in South China's Guangdong province took center stage in the global arbitration world from Oct 23 to 27, as the Global Finals of the 2026 Foreign Direct Investment International Arbitration Moot was hosted in the city — the first time the competition's global rounds have been held in China.

Hosted by the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration, the event underscores Shenzhen's growing role as a global arbitration hub.

A total of 72 teams from 33 countries and regions, together with nearly 200 arbitration experts and arbitrators from 37 countries and regions, gathered in Shenzhen for the five-day event, arguing complex investment disputes in English before simulated tribunals.

Widely regarded as one of the world's three leading international moot court competitions, the FDI Moot was first introduced to China in 2020 with the launch of the FDI Moot Shenzhen as the China National Round. Seven editions later, Shenzhen is hosting the global finals for the first time this year.

"This is a historic moment," said Huang Guoyong, assistant president and director of the International Cooperation and Development Department of the SCIA. "It shows that China's work in international arbitration, especially investment arbitration, is recognized by the international community."

ALSO READ: Mediation in Asia is not a zero-sum game

The event has tracked the growth of Chinese participation. According to Rouven Bodenheimer, vice-president of the German Arbitration Institute, the number of Chinese university teams has risen from just a handful to more than 40 each year, with the results improving steadily.

For the students involved, the appeal is both professional and personal. "Shenzhen is a fantastic place to hold this," said Hanna Tobiasz, a participant from Poland. Tobias Orbay, a participant from Czech Republic, described Shenzhen as "futuristic and modern", adding that the competition sharpens advocacy and drafting skills while opening doors to the wider legal profession.

The choice of venue reflects Shenzhen's broader development of an arbitration center. In the "2025 International Arbitration Survey" jointly released by Queen Mary University of London and White & Case LLP, Shenzhen was ranked among the world's top 5 most preferred arbitration seats for the first time, while SCIA Arbitration Rules were listed among the top 10 most popular arbitration rules globally. The SCIA handled more than 14,000 commercial arbitration cases in 2025, with total amounts in dispute reaching 154.34 billion yuan ($23.13 billion) — the fourth consecutive year in which the figure exceeded 100 billion yuan.

READ MORE: One-stop international commercial court set to boost SZ’s biz strength

SCIA Arbitrator Peter Ong Lip Cheng, founder of Singapore's Peter Ong Law Corporation, said that APEC will come to Shenzhen in November and the moot will bring Shenzhen to the world, describing SCIA Arbitration Rules as "having reached an international standard".

Ignazio Castellucci, a professor of comparative law at the University of Teramo and an SCIA arbitrator, described the timing was "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.

For young lawyers, the message from the arbitrators was clear. "Study hard, and be curious," Castellucci advised. "This part of the world is growing as a central location for people from worldwide meeting together."