From June 14 to 19, DMU law school Adjunct Professor, Dr. Li Hai, Vice President of China Maritime Law Association and Professor Han Lixin attended the 41st Conference and General Assembly of International Maritime Committee (CMI) as main members of China delegation where held in Hamburg with an add-on in Berlin, Germany.
The topic of this conference mainly discussed judicial sales of ships and their recognition. Furthermore, the meeting also discussed revision of York-Antwerp Rules, pirate, cross-border insolvency, the Arctic and Antarctic legal problems and so on. More than 300 representatives from over 40 countries and regions participated into the conference. Members of the Chinese delegation attended all the issues of meeting discussion respectively. Professor Li Hai, as the chairman of judicial sales of ships task of International Working Group (IWG), presided over international sub-committee meetings in Hamburg on 14 and 15 June 2014 and judicial sales of ships and recognition CMI Conference on 16 June 2014 respectively. Professor Han Lixin attended above-mentioned meetings as one of the representative of CLMA and stated our points and views. It was encouraging that lots of suggestions raised by CMLA were adopted by the final text. Draft International Convention on Foreign Judicial Sales of Ships and their Recognition (Known as the “Beijing Draft”) was passed after literally review and approval on 17 June 2014.
In addition, Professor Han Lixin, together with other members of delegation distributed exquisite invitation card to representatives of other countries, and publicized 8th International Conference on Maritime Law would be hosted by CMLA which would be held in Dalian Maritime University. China delegation’s publicity and activities were well received. Parts of representatives of their countries revealed that they would like to give attendance. CMLA Secretary General Chen Min met with CMI President and Secretary General, invited them to CMLA International Conference and got their preliminary attendance confirmation.
The ratification of the “Beijing Draft” marked a huge victory. Doctor Li Hai raised this problem at the meeting of CMI executive committee in 2007, and became one of CMI issues. Doctor Li Hai, Chairman of CMI IWG, did a lot of work and made great efforts. After the repeated discusses modification, IWG made the second draft in the spirit of Oslo conference and submitted to CMI 40th Conference held in Beijing for discussion in 2012, then named the “Beijing Draft”.
