The Fourth Training Session of the China-AALCO Exchange and Research Program on International Law opens in Beijing

On September 3, 2018, the Fourth Training Session of China-AALCO Exchange and Research Program on International Law (the Program) was inaugurated in Beijing. This training session is organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and co-organized by the Wuhan University Institute of International Law and the Asian Academy of International Law. Ambassador Huang Huikang, member of the UN International Law Commission, and Porf. Kennedy Gastorn, the Secretary-General of AALCO, delivered opening remarks at the opening ceremony.

Ambassador Huang, on behalf of the organizer, extended a warm welcome to all the legal officials from Asian and African States for attending the training session. Ambassador Huang highlighted that the opening of the training session coincided with that of the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), and that this training session was a testament to China's firm commitment to China-Africa friendship and the friendly cooperation among Asian and African States.

"We are now at a time of unprecedented change and international law plays a more important role in international relations," said Ambassador Huang. He called on Asian and African states to strengthen cooperation in international law, uphold the international legal regime based on the UN Charter, and work together to make the international order more just and equitable. He underlined the importance of capacity-building in international law for Asian and African states, and reaffirmed China's readiness to continue to conduct training sessions and symposiums on international law under the Program, to promote international law cooperation among Asian and African States, and to further the purposes and objectives of the AALCO.

Prof. Gastorn commended China's contribution in promoting exchanges and cooperation in the field of international law among Asian and African states. He thanked the Chinese Government for its support to the AALCO, and reassured AALCO's continued support to the Program.He was of the view that the Program and the training sessions were important tools to enhance solidarity and cooperation among Asian and African countries.

Ambassador Huang and Prof. Gastorn jointly unveiled the plaque for "The Training Base of China-AALCO Exchange and Research Program on International Law". According to the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Program and Institute of International Law of Wuhan University, the Program designated the training base of Wuhan University Institute of International Law in Beijing as the training base of the Program.

Ambassador Huang gave an opening lecture on the topic of "Drawing a Balance for the Future - in Commemoration of 70 years of the International Law Commission". The participants also watched the live broadcast of the opening ceremony of FOCAC.

The Fourth Training Session is held under the framework of the China-AALCO Exchange and Research Program on International Law. The Program was announced in 2015 by President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, aiming at carrying forward the spirit of the Bandung Conference and enhancing exchanges and cooperation in the field of international law among Asian and African states. Around 50 legal officials from 35 AACLO member states, 4 non-members (Algeria, Philippines, Zimbabwe, Laos), AACLO Secretariat and relevant ministries of the Chinese Government attended the session. The curriculum covers current hot topics and frontier issues in international law, with a special focus on international trade and investment law.