The “Boya Book Launch” organized by the Institute of Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences (IAS) and the UM Library was successfully held on October 28th at the University Gallery. Professor João Ilhão Moreira from the Department of Macao Legal Studies of the Faculty of Law at the University of Macau was invited to give a lecture on his new book, The Regulation of International Commercial Arbitration: Arbitrators’ Duties and the Emerging Arbitral Market. This lecture also invited Professor Xingzhong Yu, Chair Professor at the Faculty of Law at the University of Macau and Director of IAS to be the moderator, and Professor Guangjian Tu, Director of the Institute for Advanced Legal Studies of the Faculty of Law at the University of Macau to be the discussant.

At the beginning of the lecture, Professor João Ilhão Moreira introduced his new book by introducing the concepts of profession and occupation, and pointed out that to what extent can arbitrators be classified as a profession. Then Professor Moreira mentioned the divergence of arbitration from other professions, such as accountants, lawyers and doctors, and proposed the regulatory differences between international commercial arbitrators and other professions, emphasizing the uniqueness of arbitrators as a profession. Professor Moreira also discussed the creation of the norms that regulate arbitrators and the enforcement of the norms that are applicable to arbitrators. Professor Moreira concluded that the system has been overall successful. In the field of commercial arbitration, the unique features of the arbitral ‘profession’ are therefore likely to continue to persist.

In the discussion session, Professor Guangjian Tu appreciated the new book and its contributions to the field of arbitration. He discussed the legal basis of international commercial arbitration and its enforcement, addressing the challenges of mediation in international arbitration. International commercial arbitration is still an important way to resolve transnational commercial disputes. Professor Tu also provided insights from both regional and historical perspectives on whether international commercial arbitration has truly reached internationalization. Finally, Professor Xingzhong Yu shared his views that it reflects the specialization of modernization, and he was optimistic about the future of the entire system.

During the Q&A session, the audience engaged in an in-depth discussion on the independence and impartiality of arbitrators and the way to enhance the international recognition of arbitration. Professor Moreira further elaborated on the challenges faced in international commercial arbitration, including the cost and efficiency, and the enforcement of professional and regulatory norms applicable to arbitrators.

The lecture is not only a celebration of Professor Moreira’s new work, but also an in-depth exploration of current issues and future development in the field of international commercial arbitration. It provided a deeper understanding of the complexity of international commercial arbitration and a more comprehensive understanding of its effectiveness and limitations as a tool for resolving international commercial disputes. The event encouraged active discussion and reflection and enhanced the impact of the new book.