Presentation of the Extraordinary Edition - Students of the Master's Degree in International Commercial Law, Faculty of Law, Lanzhou University - China.

Esteemed colleagues, readers of DIGE - International Law and Economic Globalization, and fellow scholars, With great pleasure, I introduce this special collection of papers, born from the rigorous intellectual engagement of the 2024-2025 Master's students in the International Trade Law course at the School of Law, Lanzhou University. As explored earlier, in an era defined by unprecedented flux and complexity in the global trade landscape, marked by escalating trade tensions, the re-evaluation of established norms, and the profound impact of geopolitical, environmental, and societal challenges, the need for insightful, nuanced analysis has never been more critical. Their papers delve into various dimensions of China's positioning in contemporary trade issues, offering fresh perspectives and detailed analyses on topics directly relevant to the ongoing scholarly and policy debates concerning trade wars, the efficacy of multilateral institutions, the challenges of WTO reform, issues connected to trade, and China's significant and evolving role in shaping the rules and practices of global economic governance. The collection of papers explores, for instance: Dispute settlement mechanism under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership China’s intellectual property protection Reform of the WTO Appellate Body Trade and environmental protection Animal welfare and China’s international countermeasures International contracts and document transactions Copyright and AI Commercial arbitration under the Belt and Road Initiative Exhaustion of local remedies rule in international investment dispute settlement WTO dispute settlement mechanism reform and China’s positioning Impacts of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement I am confident that these contributions from the next generation of legal scholars at Lanzhou University will provide valuable insights for the readership of DIGE—International Law and Economic Globalization, stimulating further discussion and research into one of the most defining relationships and issues in contemporary international economic law. I commend these students for their dedication and insightful work tackling complex and timely subjects. I express my thanks to the administration of the School of Law, Lanzhou University, for the encouragement and means for students and scholars to develop their ideas and projects. I sincerely thank Professor Dr. Antônio Márcio da Cunha Guimarães for hosting this special journal issue and my colleague and long-time friend Professor Dr. Miguel Angelo Marques for his willingness to help prepare the manuscripts for publication.