Basic Information

Li Tiansheng, male, Han ethnicity, born in January 1975 in Yanshan, Jiangxi Province. He holds a Bachelor of Laws from Nanchang University, a Master’s degree in Economics from Nanchang University, and a Doctor of Laws (Ph.D.) from Dalian Maritime University (including a Visiting PhD Student at Tulane University, USA). He subsequently completed a postdoctoral researcher in Law at Dalian Maritime University, jointly supervised with the National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center). He has over a decade of professional experience in finance and legal practice in Guangzhou and other regions. He has obtained multiple professional qualifications, including: Legal Professional Qualification Certificate (PRC bar), Lawyer’s License, Securities Practitioner Qualification Certificate issued by the Securities Association of China, Fund Practitioner Qualification Certificate issued by the Asset Management Association of China, Enterprise Legal Consultant Qualification, and Futures Practitioner Qualification Certificate issued by the China Futures Association.

In 2004, he was awarded the title of Intermediate Economist (Finance). In 2010, he was exceptionally promoted to Associate Professor, and in 2013, specially promoted to a Professor. He was the first postdoctoral fellow in maritime law to complete the program at the research station. He has served as a member of the First and Second Academic Committees of Dalian Maritime University. He was a Professor and Doctoral Supervisor in the Maritime Law Department of the Law School at Dalian Maritime University. He also held positions including Director of the Marine Economic Law Center of the Institute of Maritime Law, Dean of the Guangzhou Branch of the same Institute, and Deputy Dean of the Hainan Free Trade Port Governance Research Institute. He has been honored as the "Liaoning Outstanding Middle-aged and Young Legal Expert". He is currently a Professor and Doctoral Supervisor at the Law School of Nanchang University, and has beend serving as Dean of the Law School of Nanchang University since January 2026.

Academic Affiliations

Executive Director of the Supreme People's Court’s Theoretical Research Base for Marine Judicial Protection; Expert member of the Expert Committee of the Supreme People's Court’s Guangzhou Base for International Maritime Judicial Center; Dean of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Institute of Maritime Law; Think Tank Expert of Dalian Municipal People's Government Research Office; Executive Council Member of the Liaoning Maritime Law Research Association; Vice President of the Guangdong Transport Law Society; Vice President of the Guangdong Society of the law of the Sea; Vice President of the Guangzhou Transportation Law Society; Council Member of the China Insurance Law Society; Council Member of the China Maritime Law Association; Research Fellow of the Research Center for Maritime Law and Free Trade Port Construction, Fujian Provincial Distinguished New-Type Think Tank.

Monographs and Papers

· On Principle of the Interests Balance between Shipping Parties and Cargo Parties, published by Law Press in 2012.

· On Compensation for Damage Resulting from Pollution of Offshore Oil-Gas Exploitation, published by Law Press in 2016.

He has published more than 60 academic articles in leading journals, including Chinese Journal of Law, Chinese Social Science Digest, People's Daily (Theory Edition), Modern Law Science, Journal of Political Science and Law, Law Science Magazine, Tribune of Economic Law, Chinese Yearbook of Private International Law and Comparative Law, Journal of International Economic Law, Chinese Review of International Law, Jiangxi Social Sciences, Shandong Social Sciences, Southeast Academic Research, Hebei Academic Journal, Research on Financial and Economic Issues, Social Sciences in Guangxi, Journal of Law Application, Chinese Journal of Maritime Law, Social Scientist, and Marine Policy. Several policy advisory reports have received written endorsements from central and provincial-ministerial level leaders, or been adopted by national ministries and commissions as well as the Internal Reference of People's Daily. His major papers include:

1. On Sea Law, Chinese Journal of Law (CSSCI), Issue 6, 2017; fully reprinted in Chinese Journal of Maritime Law, Issue 4, 2017.

2. International Law Concerning the Environmental Protection in Arctic: What Is Left behind UNCLOS and the BBNJ Agreement?, Frontiers in Marine Science (SCI), September 2025.

3. Institutional Consequences and Mechanism Adjustments to China’s International Ship Registration Policy—Taking the Red Sea Crisis as an Example, Marine Policy (SSCI), January 2025.

4. On the Independence of Arbitration under Brussels System and its Enlightenment to the B&R Initiative Arbitration Cooperation, Journal of Jiangsu University (Social Science Edition) (CSSCI Extended Edition), Issue 3, 2023.

5. Disputes and Future of Arctic Navigational Rights, Journal of Political Science and Law Review (CSSCI), Issue 1, 2023.

6. On the Conflict of Rules Application Between Domestic Law and International Law of Tariff in the United States, Journal of Political Science and Law Review (CSSCI), Issue 2, 2020.

7. On the Improvement of the Environment-Trade M”echanism under the China- South Korea Free Trade Agreement: Lessons from NAFTA, Shandong Social Sciences (CSSCI), Issue 12, 2019.

8. Characteristics of Marine Ecological Environment and Reform of Protection System in Bohai Rim Region, Journal of Shandong University (Philosophy and Social Sciences) (CSSCI), Issue 1, 2019.

9. Legal Responses to Short Delivery Claims in the Maritime Transport of Oil Cargo, World Shipping, Issue 8, 2018.

10. On the Relationship between the Historic Rights within the South China Sea Dash Line and United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea: Along with a Discussion on How to Safeguard the Historic Rights within the South China Sea Dash Line from the View of Integration of the Sea Law, Journal of Hainan University (Humanities & Social Sciences) (CSSCI), Issue 2, 2017.

11. The Risks of Application of Law of China-Russia Multimodal Transportation in Arctic Sea Routes, Journal of Political Science and Law Review (CSSCI), Issue 4, 2017.

12. The Importance of Strengthening Maritime Judicial Sovereignty, commissioned draft for the judicial interpretation of the Supreme People's Court Several Provisions on the Trial of Cases Related to the Sea Areas under China's Jurisdiction (I, II), published on Page 2, People's Court Daily, August 3, 2016.

13. On the Legal Definition of Insurance Accident of Marine Liability Insurance, Chinese Journal of Maritime Law (CSSCI Extended Edition), Issue 3, 2015.

14. Theoretical Outlines for Chinese codification of Maritime Law, Chinese Review of International Law, Issue 4, 2015; fully reprinted in Chinese Journal of Maritime Law (CSSCI Extended Edition), Issue 3, 2015, and in Chinese Social Science Digest, Issue 11, 2015.

15. On the Right of Voyage Charterers to Limition of Liability for Maritime Claims, Journal of Dalian Maritime University (Social Science Edition), Issue 5, 2015.

16. Application and Censorship on Preservation of ships under Arbitration Proceedings, Hebei Law Science (CSSCI Extended Edition), Issue 4, 2015.

17. Legitimacy and Legislative Mode of Limitation of Liability for Damages Resulting from Polluton of Offshore Oil-Gas Exploitation, Journal of International Economic Law (CSSCI), Volume 21, Issue 2, 2014; fully reprinted in Renmin University Copied Materials: Journal of International Law, Issue 2, 2015.

18. A Framework for Compulsory Catastrophe Insurance for Pollution form Offshore Oil-Gas Exploitation, Jiangxi Social Sciences (CSSCI), Issue 7, 2014.

19. The Safeguard of China's rights in the South China Sea in the Perspective of Effective Administration, Chinese Journal of Maritime Law (CSSCI Extended Edition), Issue 4, 2013.

20. The Liability Regime for Marine Oil Pollution Risks, Chinese Social Science Digest, Issue 1, 2013.

21. Recent Legislative Development and Conflict of Laws in International Multimodal Transport, Chinese Yearbook of Private International Law and Comparative Law (CSSCI), Volume 15, 2012.

22. Compulsory No-Fault Insurance: —American Experience and Its Implication for China, Tribune of Economic Law (CSSCI), Volume 10, 2012.

23.Breaching of Privity of Contract and Cause of Action in International Carriage of Goods by Sea, Journal of Tianjin University (Social Science) (CSSCI Extended Edition), Issue 3, 2013.

24. Historical Evolution of International Ocean Carrier’s Basis of Liability and Its Englightenment—Dual evolvement of special risks at sea and industrial interests, Hebei Law Science (CSSCI Extended Edition), Issue 2, 2013.

25. The Scope of Legal Application and Liability for Oil Pollution from Offshore Drilling Platforms, Jiangxi Social Sciences (CSSCI), Issue 12, 2012.

26. The Origin of the Bareboat Charter Clause and Divergent Development in the English and American Law, Academic Forum (CSSCI), Issue 12, 2012.

27. Bill of Lading as an Exception to the Privity of Maritime Contract and Its Interpretation—Rights-Based Analysis, Southeast Academic Research (CSSCI), Issue 6, 2012.

28. On the Validity of Jurisdiction Clauses in Bills of Lading under English and American Law and Its Implications for China, Shandong Social Sciences (CSSCI), Issue 10, 2012.

29. Interest Balancing in the Legal Framework of the Marine Economy: A Case Study of the Trade and Shipping Industries, Social Scientist (CSSCI Extended Edition), Issue 11, 2012.

30. On the Basic Principles of Maritime Law, Hebei Academic Journal (CSSCI), Issue 6, 2012.

31. The Rights & Liabilities’ Dualistic Structure and Integration of Carriage of Goods by Sea: from Himalaya Clause to Maritime Performing Party System, Journal of Xiangtan University (Philosophy and Social Sciences) (CSSCI), Issue 6, 2012.

32. Scopes and Paths of the Application of Law and Economics Analysis: the Case of Maritime Law Research, Theory and Modernization (CSSCI Extended Edition), Issue 6, 2012.

33. A Legal Analysis of Volume Contract under Rotterdam Rules, Frontiers of Law in China, June 2012, Vol.7.

34. Procedural Requirements for the Enforceability of Exclusion Clauses in Insurance Contracts, Academic Forum (CSSCI), Issue 9, 2011.

35. On Direct Action of Marine Compulsory Insurance, Law Science Magazine (CSSCI), Issue 1, 2011.

36. Judicial Discretion in the Application of the Duty of Disclosure in Insurance Law, Insurance Studies (CSSCI Extended Edition), Issue 11, 2010.

37. National Interests Influence in Compensation for Damages Resulting from Oil Pollution—the Experience of the U.S. and Its Reference to China, in Marine Pollution in China, US and Europe, published by Kluwer Law International in October 2010.

38. Reform Pathways for Shipbuilding Finance in the Context of the Financial Crisis, Research on Financial and Economic Issues (CSSCI), Issue 2, 2010.

39. Exception to Anti monopoly in International Ocean Shipping Industry: An Econo mic Analysis of Law on THC Incident, Modern Law Science (CSSCI), Issue 1, 2010.

40. Analysis About The Entry For Polluted Vessels In Distress Under International Legal Systems In China, Law Science Magazine (CSSCI), Issue 12, 2009.

41. The Enforcement of Mortgage Rights over Ships under Construction: the Property Law of the People's Republic of China Perspective, Chinese Yearbook of Maritime Law (CSSCI Extended Edition), Issue 4, 2009.

42. The Impact of the Implementation of the Property Law on the Lien under Maritime Law, Judicial of Law Application (CSSCI Extended Edition), Issue 9, 2008.

Research Projects

He currently serves as Principal Investigator of a project under the National Social Science of China (Special Program for Academic Associations), titled On the Delivery Regime of the Actual Carrier: Protectioon of Export Interests (Project No.24SGC053, ongoing). As the Chief Expert, he completed several major research projects, including: the Major Project under the National Social Science Fund of Chian on "Building China into a Strong Maritime Nation in the New Era", titled Construction of a Maritime Law System from the Perspective of Maritime Community with a Shared Future (Project No.19VHQ001); the Young Scholars Project of the National Social Science Fund of China, Principles and Mechanisms of Compensation for Damages Resulting from Polluton of Offshore Oil-Gas Exploitation; the Key Research Project of the China Law Society (Ministerial Level), titled Legal Issues of Ecological and Environmental Protection in Bohai Rim Region; the Project of the Ministry of Transport, titled Improvement of Maritime Legislation under the Maritime Power Strategy; a Research Project of the China Law Society (Ministerial Level), titled Maritime Legal Conflicts and Countermeasures along the Northeast New Silk Road; a Liaoning Provincial Social Science Fund Project, titled Legal Issues of the China–Mongolia–Russia Land–Sea Multimodal Transport Corridor”. In addition, he has participated in numerous major national and ministerial level research rojects, as well as projects commissioned by the government and industry. His research focuses on marine environmental protection, shipping and port legal regimes, international maritime rules, maritime rights and dispute settlement, and legal issues in maritime finance and offshore engineering.