Zhou Qiang Addresses Rule of Law in Cyberspace

(english.court.gov.cn)      Updated : 2019-12-06

Zhou Qiang, chief justice and president of the Supreme People's Court of the People's Republic of China, outlined China's achievement in judicial reform and smart court construction as well as integration of advanced technology and judicial work at the World Forum on Rule of Law in Internet held on Dec 5 in Wuzhen, East China's Zhejiang province.

At a discussion themed "the Rule of Law in Cyberspace", Zhou said that the SPC has promoted smart trials, smart enforcement, intelligent service and intelligent management construction to ensure high-quality and high-efficiency legal proceedings.

According to Zhou, the internet-related cases are now handled online in the Beijing, Hangzhou and Guangzhou internet courts. A series of experiences in online judicial processing including making judgments, sending notices and implementing enforcement have been obtained.

What's more, artificial intelligence like voice recognition, judgment generation system, similar case recommendations and judgment degree of deviation greatly supports judges and meets the public's judicial demands.

A joint enforcement system centered on an enforcement command center has been built. Featuring a integrated enforcement informatization system consisting of supporting systems like network surveillance, assessment and auction, credit punishment and enforcement commission, the system has greatly improved enforcement procedures.

Promotion of smart litigation services benefits both judges and the public. According to Zhou, more than 90 percent of courts in China have realized online filing and nearly 60 percent offer self-filing services.

What's more, with the support of the four judicial openness platforms — the China Judicial Process Information Online platform, the China Court Trail Online platform, the China Judgments Online platform and the China Enforcement Information Online platform, trial proceedings, hearings, judgments and enforcement information can be obtained by the public at any time, which improves the public's engagement in judicial work and the governance of cyberspace.

In terms of smart management, five special court networks were built. More than 3,500 courts and over 10,000 tribunals are joined in the courts network which improves efficiency of judicial work.

Comprehensive and accurate judicial data service is generated by the judicial big data management and service platform, which offers judges typical cases as references.

Zhou stated that China's new internet judicial mode is still at a starting stage and courts will make efforts to optimize the mechanism to promote the rule of law for the international internet and contribute Chinese ideas and experience to building a community of a shared future in cyberspace.

He explained that China will continue to improve the fundamental legal system, data management institutional system and judicial system of cyberspace and build an online-offline integrated judicial mechanism, optimizing online litigation modules to form an entire internet judicial system.

Technical capacity and professional talents are also focuses in strengthening the cyber judicial system, Zhou said, stressing that enhancement of block chain technological innovation in the judicial field is of significance, as is accelerating development and research of related technology and integrating advanced information technical skills such as block chains, artificial intelligence, big data and internet of things into courts' work.

In addition, Zhou encouraged countries to increase international judicial exchange and cooperation and join hands to promote the revolution of the internet governance system around the world.

At the end of his speech, Zhou reiterated that courts must administrate the principles of justice for the people, maintain judicial fairness and center on the goal of letting the people feel fairness and justice in each judicial case.

He mentioned that the internet is an open and inclusive world, and called for all parties to work together on its governance. Adhering to the concept of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, all parties should deepen cooperation and fulfill more efficient judicial service and supervision systems via economic, legal and technical measures to achieve more public benefit in cyberspace.