In the 17th CASC Cup Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition of China Institute of Space Law, Hou Shuyang, Yue Yujia, and Yu Miaomiao, students from the School of Law, won the first prize. Cui Shuhan, Liu Yiwei, and Qi Xiao won a second prize. Besides, Cui Shuhan, Hou Shuyang, and Yu Miaomiao received the honor of Excellent Debater, and Gao Qi was awarded the prize of Best Instructor.

The Beihang team spent three months preparing for the competition, going through the steps of team member selection, writing pleadings, oral argument, and court defense. The teachers and students together solved problems at the cutting edge of space law, overcame the language barrier, revised English pleadings several times, and conducted several mock court sessions. They also received guidance from Gao Guozhu, Bo Shouxing, Xia Chunli, and Ji Guanhao, all teachers from the School of Law. The team was led by Zhang Zenan throughout the preparation and the competition, who shared relevant experience with the competitors.

The competition this year was held at the Beijing Institute of Technology from December 19 to 20. It attracted 20 teams from 13 universities, including Peking University, Beihang University, the Beijing Institute of Technology, the China University of Political Science and Law, Wuhan University, the East China University of Political Science and Law, the Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Xiangtan University, etc.

Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition (MLSLMCC) is an annual international moot court competition founded in 1992 by the International Institute of Space Law (IISL). It is one of the top three international moot court competitions for its unique tradition that the World Final of MLSLMCC is judged by three sitting members of the International Court of Justice.

Reported by Yu Miaomiao

Reviewed by Long Weiqiu

Edited by Jia Aiping

Translated by Li Mingzhu