Next up in our Honours Student Interview Series is Leo Zhaoxu Liao. Scroll down to read through the complete interview and learn all about their honours thesis research and writing process.
What is the title of your honours thesis?
“The Evolution of the International Arbitration System in Mainland China and Hong Kong in the 1980s”
What interested you in this topic? Why did you choose it for your thesis?
I first learned about the concept of international arbitration in the second year of undergraduate studies in a global politics course. I researched the modern framework of the international arbitration system, as outlined in the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) and the New York Convention. I was fascinated by the efficiency of using international arbitration to solve cross-border disputes, which is not limited to the geographical boundary and laws of different jurisdictions. The parties can choose their favoured place and governing law to resolve the dispute. During my third year of the Honours Seminar, I was struggling with choosing a topic for the incoming honours thesis. Though I knew that I might prefer selecting a topic in relation to the Legal History of China, I didn’t know how to narrow down my research into an appropriate scope. My uncertainty was gradually alleviated after reading “Chinese Legal Reform and the Global Legal Order: Adoption and Adaptation,” edited by Professor Yun Zhao, who is also one of my instructors at the HKU Law. One chapter of the book explores how foreign-related dispute resolution worked in the late Qing and Republic of China (ROC) periods, as well as using arbitration in resolving foreign-related disputes in the Shanghai Concession Areas based on archival sources in Shanghai. I was inspired by the historical analysis of adopting arbitration in China during the early 20th century, but simultaneously curious about how the system evolved in the following periods, especially during the PRC period. Through a further in-depth literature review, I found that mainstream legal historians nowadays tend to highlight the contribution of the UK and France, but less frequently mention the Asian characters when discussing the history of arbitration. Meanwhile, there’s also a lack of mentioning the evolution of international arbitration during the 1970s-1980s of the PRC, especially offering a thorough dissection at the regional level rather than at the state level. Drawing on the insights of earlier scholars who specialized in regional discussions surrounding arbitration during the ROC period, I have devised an initial plan to concentrate on a specific city. This will allow me to analyze the local influence in contrast to the central influence in that context. After interning at the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration during the summer of 2024, I ultimately chose Shenzhen due to its unique status as one of the most successful Special Economic Zones in Chinese Economic Reform. Additionally, I wanted to include Hong Kong in my analysis because of its close connection to Shenzhen’s early development, particularly in providing foreign investment and legal expertise.
What was your favourite part of the research process?
My favourite part of my research process is the on-site archival research in Shenzhen and Hong Kong. I visited several archives to figure out the relevant primary sources that could benefit my research, including the HKU Special Collections, Hong Kong Public Records Office, and Shenzhen Municipal Archives. I am very grateful for the funding support provided by the history faculty, as well as the assistance from Professor Leo Shin throughout this process. Initially, I searched through numerous archival documents related to my research topics and time periods but was unable to find the material I needed. Nevertheless, after modifying my searching method, I located more sources. I started to realize that I should not be too specific when searching word-for-word in locating the archives, such as searching “international arbitration in the 1980s”. Instead, I should start searching from the broad theme like “Chinese Economic Reforms” or “foreign-related disputes”. One of the most important lessons I learned: the significance of self-reflection during archival research or writing, especially when you hit an impasse. It’s crucial to evaluate whether you’re on the right track or heading in the wrong direction. Stay flexible and be willing to adjust your approach. You should avoid becoming stuck in an ineffective routine; instead, continuously assess and adjust your approaches as needed.
Where do you hope to go next with your research or career?
After graduating from UBC, I enrolled in the Juris Doctor (JD) program at the University of Hong Kong (HKU). Studying English Common Law at HKU, like Canada, is largely based on case laws, understanding the legal reasoning of the judgment made by the court historically, and applying similar legal principles established in the previous cases to the current issue. I am of the view that learning common law is akin to learning history or conducting historical research, since many case laws and associated principles have been widely used for more than a hundred years. Therefore, the skills that I gained from the honours research are highly transferable to legal research, where I can connect the principles in precedent cases to new cases with similar characteristics. My current goal is to become an international dispute resolution lawyer specialising in international arbitration and cross-border dispute resolution. Having said that, I plan to pursue further studies after accumulating some practical experience in the legal industry. This may involve earning a new degree in law, international relations, history, or global politics. The largest takeaways from my honours research are the interdisciplinary nature of history and law. In my honours research, I conclude that a simple legal reform was driven by complex central and regional influences, domestic and foreign political transformation, economic policies, as well as the attitude toward foreign capital. The experience of undertaking the history honours project underscored the significance of engaging in a profound analysis of the phenomena that seem simple. Likewise, when assessing a legal principle or case, it is pivotal to comprehend the societal, political, and historical context that informs it. My training in both law and history has equipped me with a robust foundation for conducting in-depth analyses. However, I am eager to expand my understanding and ability to dissect the intricate phenomena shaped by the rapid development of AI and new technologies across various periods.
What advice would you give to someone who is excited but nervous about writing their honours thesis next year?
My first advice is to remain open to the scope of your research. Nevertheless, I still recommend that you formulate a general plan regarding your research direction before you examine the available archives. My experiences reflected that sometimes you have well-designed research plans by the end of the third year. However, after checking the accessible archives, you may find that the primary sources cannot be used for your previously designed plans, which means you must adjust your research questions, temporal or geographical scope. As the archival sources play the cornerstone of the honours research, I would recommend that you don’t be limited to a specific research question or scope until you completed the archival research. The bottom line is to ascertain your research topics and approximate period or locations, as well as the current academic gap in historiography. You don’t need to be too specific about the issue before checking the archives. It is also common to readjust your research questions or focus if you find that the archival sources can be used to support a new argument that doesn’t align with your initial thoughts. My second suggestion is associated with the methodology, which is the toughest part throughout my research in the third and fourth years. You may systemically learn various methodologies used in historiography in the third year, but I will strongly recommend that you explore the most suitable methodology on your own. One effective method, according to my experience, is to observe the methodologies used by other scholars researching similar topics. This method could help you understand what methodologies are usually used in your research field, allowing you to learn from the previous scholars’ methodologies. You may also try to insert one or two innovations that are distinctive from the traditional methodologies.
Do you have a fun or anecdote you would like to share?
One fun fact that I am happy to share is a hobby that I maintained during my honours research. As a foodie, I frequently checked out different restaurants all over Vancouver and Richmond with my friend Eric Yao during my whole honours research. Even during the toughest period when I needed to simultaneously write the honours thesis and handle my work as a teaching assistant for the Asian Studies Department, I maintained this hobby. I feel empowered by exploring various cuisines, like traditional Northwestern Chinese, Shanghai-style, Cantonese, Taiwanese, Hong Kong, Korean, and Japanese foods, to alleviate my heavy workload. I am really enjoying the process of trying different foods and discussing my research and recent experiences with my best friend. I hope that every student conducting their honours research can find some ways to relax and avoid feeling overstressed. It’s crucial to balance work and studies and enjoy college life at UBC.
