Peking University, November 20, 2025: The 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly held its election for judges of the United Nations Appeals Tribunal (UNAT) and United Nations Dispute Tribunal on November 17, 2025. Zhang Lingling of China was the only candidate from the Asia-Pacific region and was elected to the UNAT with the highest number of votes. Zhang, LL.M. ’07, is an alumna of Peking University (PKU) Law School. Her term will begin on July 1, 2026, and will last for seven years

Zhang has 15 years of experience as a senior judge at China’s Supreme People’s Court. She has been involved in adjudicating thousands of cases, drafted multiple judicial interpretations, and has published over 60 legal papers and monographs. With vast legal knowledge and practical experience, she is an outstanding representative for Chinese women judges in the international arena.

Following the election of Gao Xiaoli, LL.M. ’01, in 2022, Zhang has become the second PKU alumna to be elected as a UNAT judge. This demonstrates the remarkable ability of PKU in cultivating legal professionals and shaping their sense of national and global responsibilities as experts at the forefront of upholding the rule of law. 

The UNAT was established in 2009 and consists of seven judges based at the UN Headquarters in New York. They act as crucial organs of the UN’s internal judicial system and protect the rights and interests of UN staff in the administration of justice. 

Written by: Maryann Yousheng Gou
Edited by: Wong Jun Heng, Chen Shizhuo
Source: PKU WeChat (Chinese)