Researchers' Activities

On 12 September 2017, CIL Director Professor Lucy Reed delivered the John E.C. Memorial Lecture at the McGill Faculty of Law in Montreal. The title of Lucy’s lecture was ‘International Dispute Resolution Courts: Retreat or Advance?’, and she focused on the recent progress of the Singapore International Commercial Court. Lucy was introduced by McGill Dean Robert Leckey and Mr Pierre-Olivier Savoie. Professor Fabien Gelinas and Mr Stephen Drymer of Woods led the discussion that followed the lecture.

CIL Senior Research Fellow Mr Anthony Wetherall, participated in a one-day joint workshop organised by the World Institute for Nuclear Security (WINS) and the International Airport Review during the Airport 2017 Expo, hosted in Vienna, Austria, on 12–13 September 2017. The purpose of the event was to explore opportunities between the nuclear and aviation sectors in the field of nuclear security. On 13 September, he gave a presentation on the ‘International Legal Framework for Nuclear Security’, including a timeline of developments. He also participated in the WINS Roundtable on 14 September, which built on the key areas covered on the previous day.

Assistant Professor Tan Hsien-Li, Co-Director (Teaching) of the ASEAN Law and Policy Programme at CIL, was invited to speak on a panel at the Tembusu Forum ‘ASEAN at 50: Success or a disappointment?’, which was organised by the Tembusu College at NUS on 12 September 2017.

On 11 September 2017, CIL Practice Fellow Ms Emily Choo participated, upon invitation, in a Young Public International Law Group (YPILG) debate. The YPILG is a network of young public international law (PIL) practitioners from law firms, the bar, international organisations, governments and academic institutions around the world. The purpose of YPILG is to connect early to mid-career PIL practitioners to one another, to facilitate exchanges of ideas and knowledge sharing in the PIL field, and to promote the next generation of PIL professionals. This debate was the YPILG’s first event in Asia.

CIL participated in the 6th Biennial Conference of the Asian Society of International Law (AsianSIL) on 25–26 August 2017 in Seoul, Korea. The conference was organised by the AsianSIL, the Korea Chapter of the AsianSIL, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea. The theme of the conference was ‘Asia and International Law in Times of Uncertainty’. CIL Director Professor Lucy Reed chaired the session on ‘New Proposals for Investment Dispute Resolution Mechanism’. Head of CIL’s Ocean Law and Policy Programme Associate Professor Robert Beckman chaired the session on ‘New Voices in International Law’, which featured presentations from two CIL Research Associates (see below). He also gave a presentation on the implications of the South China Sea arbitral award.

CIL Director, Professor Lucy Reed, represented the Centre and spoke at the inaugural colloquium on International Law of the Asian Academy of International Law (AAIL) in Hong Kong on 7-8 July 2017. The theme of the colloquium was ‘Common Future in Asia’, with panels on ‘One Country Two Systems: Interaction with International Law’, ‘Investment Collaboration: Opportunities and Challenges for Asia’, and ‘Interpretation of Treaties and UNCLOS: The Regime of Islands, Rocks and Offshore Archipelagos’. The welcome and keynote speakers included the new Hong Kong Chief Executive Mrs Carrie Lam, GBM, GBS; Mr Rimsky Yuen, GBM, SC, JP, Secretary for Justice of Hong Kong; Professor Teresa Cheng SC, Chairman of the AAIL; Dr Li Shishi, President of the Chinese Society of International Law; Professor Zhang Yuejiao, Former WTO Appellate Body Member and Chair; Mr Liu Zhenmin, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of China (by video); and Mr Xie Zhenhua, Special Representative for Climate Change Affairs of China.

CIL Senior Visiting Research Fellow Dr Lynn Kuok recently participated in the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, China, also known as the ‘Summer Davos’. it is the foremost global gathering on science, technology and innovation, and convenes the next generation of fast-growing enterprises shaping the future of business and society, and leaders from major multinationals, government, media, academia and civil society. In keeping with WEF founder Professor Klaus Schwab’s call for economics to be considered in its broader security context, Dr Kuok presented on a panel examining ‘A New Strategic Narrative for Asia’.

CIL Research Fellow Zhen Sun participated in the 6th World Congress for Korean Politics and Society 2017 organized by the Korean Political Science Association, Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Korea Foundation and Korea Maritime Institute. The conference was held in Yonsei University, Seoul on 22-24 June on ‘Rebuilding Trust in Peace and Democracy’. Zhen delivered a presentation on ‘Non-Traditional Maritime Security Cooperation in Southeast Asia‘ under the panel on ‘How to Promote Peaceful Uses of the Seas in Asia’.

CIL Senior Research Fellow Youna Lyons participated in the 2017 Global Ocean Regime Conference of the Korea Maritime Institute. The conference was held in Seoul on 19-21 June 2017 on the theme of the role of international law and its limits, in particular the maritime order in Asia after the South China Sea Arbitration. Youna presented on the ‘Protection of the Marine Environment after the SCS Arbitration Award‘.

On 16–17 June 2017, CIL Head of Ocean Law and Policy Programme Assoc Prof Robert C Beckman and CIL Research Associate Hadyu Ikrami participated in the Asia-Pacific Ocean Law Institutions Alliance (APOLIA) Conference on ‘Maritime Law Enforcement: Asia-Pacific State Practice’ and the ‘South China Sea Workshop on South China Sea Arbitration and Incidental Maritime Issues’. The conference and workshop took place in Da Nang, Vietnam and were organised by the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and The Development of International Law in Asia-Korea (DILA-Korea).