[CALS-OPAL] International Forum on Asian Laws: Diffusion of Laws in Asia

On 1-2 August 2024, the Centre for Asian Legal Studies (CALS) at the National University of Singapore, in collaboration with the Oxford Programme in Asian Laws (OPAL) at the University of Oxford (Faculty of Law), held the inaugural International Forum on Asian Laws. The theme for the conference this year was “Diffusion of Laws in Asia”. More than 60 participants and speakers attended, including academics and legal practitioners from various jurisdictions.

The two-day conference, was kicked off with opening remarks by Provost’s Professor Mindy Chen-Wishart, National University of Singapore (NUS), and Professor Ngoc Son Bui, Oxford University. Visiting Professor Andrew Harding, NUS, delivered the first plenary speech on Legal Transplantation and the Interface within Asian Contexts. The second plenary speech was delivered by Cheng Chan Lan Yue Professor Albert Chen, The University of Hong Kong, on Confucianism, Legalism and Modern Rule of Law in Asia and the last was delivered by Professor Mindy Chen-Wishart on Contract Laws of Asia: Transplant, Diffusion and Mutation.

A total of 22 papers were presented and discussed in four breakout sessions, each split into 3 rooms: Private Law, Public Law, and Religious/Traditional Law. Speakers discussed specific instances and selected case studies of transnational movements of legal ideas, principles, rules, and institutions in Asia. With substantial time set aside for comments from our commentators and participants, the discussions explored nuances and different perspectives on the successes and failures of transplanted systems in these case studies in Asia.