Belt and Road Initiative Simulation Program

On May 11–12, 2025, the Fourth Belt and Road Initiative Simulation Competition was successfully held at the East China University of Political Science and Law (ECUPL) in Shanghai. Co-hosted by FLIA (Foundation for Law and International Affairs) and ECUPL, this year’s event brought together 68 universities from across China, marking a new milestone in scale, participation, and impact.

Awards and Recognition

On May 25-26, 2014, the Foundation for Law and International Affairs (FLIA) co-hosted a groundbreaking Belt and Road Initiative Negotiation Simulation at Wenzhou-Kean University. This event, organized through collaboration with the Research Institution Business Environment and Rule of Law in Wenzhou-Kean University, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University International Business School, and emlyon business school, marked a significant milestone for Sino-Foreign cooperative universities, and signals potential future simulation programs with universities throughout the world.

The simulation brought together over 60 students from eight countries and more than ten disciplines, spanning four continents. These students engaged in a dynamic negotiation process, adopting roles as Chinese investors, host country governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and international organizations (IGOs) to explore better solutions for the major issues involved in a Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) railway construction project.

Click here to read more about the event.

On March 9th and 10th, 2024, the Third Belt and Road Initiative Simulation Competition was organized at the East China University of Political Science and Law.

The competition saw participation from 76 teams representing 66 universities, including three international student teams comprised of students from 9 different countries.

As Xinhuanet and http://www.china.com.cn/ report, “This competition stands as a beacon of international innovation and leadership in negotiation simulations, effectively fostering students' interdisciplinary skills, prowess in international negotiation, and the application of international rules. It has proven to be an effective educational model and practical platform for advancing the development of the Belt and Road initiative and nurturing talent in foreign-related legal fields.”

After two days of spirited competition, teams from Fudan University, Southwest University of Political Science and Law, Fujian Normal University, and the East China University of Political Science and Law (exchange students) emerged victorious, securing the first prize. Teams from Renmin University of China, Beijing Normal University, Xiamen University, Shanghai International Studies University, Henan University, Northwest University of Political Science and Law, Zhejiang Normal University, and the East China University of Political Science and Law (Chinese students) were awarded the second prize.

The competition garnered extensive support from various partners, including the School of Law at Beijing Normal University, Dalian Ocean University, Guangzhou College of Science and Technology, the China Overseas Interest Protection Research Base, the School of International Law at Southwest University of Political Science and Law, the School of Trade Negotiations at Shanghai University of International Business and Economics, the Shanghai Intellectual Property Academy at Tongji University, the School of Law at East China University of Science and Technology, and the Asia-Pacific Law Institute at Renmin University of China.

More info about this competition can be found here.

The Second Belt and Road Initiative Simulation Competition was held on June 26, 2019 in Shanghai.

Click here to read more about the event.

The BRI Simulation Competition was designed and developed by the FLIA BRI Simulation Team, and sponsored by Jincheng Tongda & Neal Law Firm (JT&N); 18 participants from SUFE School of Law and Deakin Law School delegated 4 teams in the competition.

The Competition is based on the real BRI issues of the South Gem Port. Students were delegated among four interested parties, Sri Lanka Government, China Mandarina Port Holdings Company (GW Holdings), Human Rights International (HRI) and South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC), and were required to use their knowledge and skills to create better strategies and solutions for their own interested party. The main issues of the case include investment and the financial structure of the project, environmental compliance, employment and welfare, and how to balance regional powers and incorporate regional economies into the project. The competition involves four sessions: Opening Statement, Bilateral Negotiation, Ad-Hoc Negotiation and Quadrilateral Negotiation.

Advisors for the four teams are: Mark Poustie, Professor at SUFE Law School, Scholar of Chinese Thousand Talents; Wen Zou, In-house Counsel at Union Pay; Zhian Lu, Professor at Fudan University Law School, and; Asen Velinov, Attorney at Law (California) at Co-effort Law Firm LLP, Overseas Investment Advisor at CONCANACO, Consultant at Oriental Financial Pudong Channel.

The competition produced the Gold Award and Silver Award for teams, the Public Speaking Award, the Public Speaking Award Runner-Up, the Diplomatic Style Champion and the Diplomatic Style Champion Runner-Up. The NGO team represented by the Shanghai University of Finance & Economics Law School won the team Gold Award, and the Chinese company team represented by the Deakin University Law School in Australia won the team Silver Award. Zhou Jiayi, from Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, received the public speech champion; Max Hall from Dickon Law School won the Public Speaking Award Runner-Up. The Diplomatic Style Champion was won by Joel Breckler of Deakin University School of Law, and the Runner-Up was received by Yu Lan of Shanghai University of Finance & Economics Law School.

Dr. Shaoming Zhu, President of the Foundation of Law and International Affairs, said that the educational significance and policy significance of this event is essential. Through the competition, the students learned the core knowledge framework and applicable laws involved in the project, were able to familiarize themselves with some basic practical issues in port construction, and understood the capabilities and qualities required for participation in international norms of negotiation, negotiation and formulation. She said that the Foundation of Law and International Affairs will further promote the global participation and industry participation of the project and competition, and promote the project and competition to more countries along the “Belt and Road” and countries that have not participated in the Belt and Road Initiative. We also cultivate more overseas young people's understanding and participation in the “Belt and Road” strategy. She believes that through the training and promotion of the simulation contest, the project will spread Chinese thoughts and standards, improve the application of Chinese standards and Chinese (soft) law in the “Belt and Road”, correct the misconceptions of the Belt and Road Initiative in Western society. Most importantly, the negotiation is between four very different entities including the company, government, non-government organizations, and international organizations. It is a major innovation in the international rules of procedure and the global governance model.

Through the simulation, the project will also select a group of young talents to set up a “One Belt, One Road” youth talent pool, and directly deliver young talents for enterprises and international organizations. The contestants who participated in this competition have already obtained internship opportunities to Jincheng Tongda Law Firm, Concanaco and Mexican companies.