The Silk Road Legal Exchange and Research Network (“The Silk Road Network” or “SRN”) is a discussion group for practitioners and academics, including judges, arbitrators, lawyers, officials, members of think tanks, and scholars, who are interested in the legal and regulatory dimensions of China’s “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI) and China's broader presence in international law. The impetus of the SRN is to pool resources and talents to better understand what is happening, how, and why. Specific areas of law include: international commercial law, investment, trade, dispute resolution, energy, infrastructure, project finance, labor and environment, security, law and technology, “smart courts,” macro-region development, law and development, and so on.
This is an academic forum and is meant to foster increased understanding, particularly between and among BRI countries and other interested parties. All political views and perspectives are permitted. Members are encouraged to post any relevant material, including inter alia cases and controversies, analyses, governmental notices, academic and policy analyses, news items, and conference announcements. In addition, the SRN is developing a database of primary source material related to BRI contracts and disputes. Each member must submit a primary source material to join the SRN. Through the SRN, members can develop collaborations for teaching, research, and practice. The SRN also serves as a platform for face-to-face meetings. The first of which was held at the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law in April 2019. It is hoped that the SRN will facilitate additional seminars, workshops, and conferences in the future.
