<title>Abstract</title>This article explores a solution to the choice-of-law issues concerning both voluntary and involuntary assignments arising in a domestic forum. The focus is on English private international law rules relating to cross-border assignments. A distinction is made between primary and extended parties as the foundation for choice-of-law analysis. Drawing on insights from the distinction of the use value and exchange value of debts found in economics, this article proposes a new analytical framework for choice-of-law based on a modified choice-of-law theory of interest-analysis.

The incorporation of information and communication technology as part of the process of Chinese judicial reform has appeal to both legislators and policy-makers who focus on its positive features. The launch of the 'intelligent court system' represents part of this process to equip the judiciary with the most up-to-date modern technology that aims to reshape case resolution procedure by way of moving the legal process online. The central aspect of this is to establish an online case resolution process through an 'e-court' or 'online court', which will shift the judicial process towards working within the expectation of modern commercial practice and technological capacity. However, the realisation of the ideals underlining the project is not without problems. An examination of the two different models introduced for the pilot e-court system, indicates that insufficient consideration has been given with regards to its potential adverse effects and that more thought needs to be given to how these issues should be addressed in order to improve the role and function of online courts in China.

This year the researcherfirstly conducted research examining the two main pillars under the UN guidingprinciples on business and human rights. The first pillar manifests itself asrising cases where multinational corporations are either legally sued orinformally boycotted for the arguable lack of due consideration of human rightsand environmental concerns. The lack of an international legal framework thusleads to great uncertainty facing multinational companies in terms of duediligence obligations.The second aspect of thisdiscusses the access to remedy where human rights are violated. The idea is toenable victims, who are normally from developing countries, of subsidiarycompanies’ tortious acts to bring litigations againstthe parental company at the court of the place of its registration or maincenter of business, which usually leads to a developed country with areputational legal system.Finally, the regional studyfocuses on the analysis of projects conducted under China’sBelt and Road Initiative for the purpose of evaluating what role this newinitiative actually plays in the advertised pursuit of sustainable investment,and environmental protection, seeking mutual benefits, particularly in theAsia-pacific region.

The applicant has benefittedfrom the Tokutei Kadai grant to create a research base at Waseda University. InFY2020, the applicant completes a book review, which has been submitted and acceptedby Asian Journal of International Law, and a long article, which has been acceptedfor publication at The International &amp; Comparative Law Quarterly. Bothjournals are among the highest impact journals in the area of internationallaw. In addition, the applicant completes the application for Grant-in-Aid forEarly Career Researchers.