Zhou Qiang, president of the Supreme People's Court (SPC) of China (left), and Li Ganjie, secretary of the Shandong Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (right), attend and address the opening ceremony of the 2022 China-SCO judges forum, Aug 31, 2022. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

Zhou Qiang, president of the Supreme People's Court (SPC) of China, called for closer, more pragmatic and efficient judicial cooperation among Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states under the guidance of the Shanghai Spirit, in a bid to build a closer SCO community with a shared future, and to contribute more to lasting world peace and common prosperity.

He made those remarks while attending the opening ceremony of the 2022 China-SCO judges forum via video link. Hosted by the Shandong High People's Court, the forum was held on Aug 31, in Qingdao, Shandong province, both online and offline. Li Ganjie, secretary of the Shandong Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, attended and addressed the opening ceremony online.

Zhou, also China's chief justice, said that this year is of special significance to the SCO as it marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the SCO Charter and the 15th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on Long-Term Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation of SCO Member States. At the 21st meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO in September 2021, China had reached a series of consensuses with all attending parties on the future direction of the SCO's development, according to Zhou. Over the years, all member states have abided by the spirits of past meetings and conducted pragmatic and efficient cooperation on the joint crackdown on cross-border crimes, joint resolution of cross-border trade disputes, judicial assistance and the judicial response against the COVID-19 pandemic, which has contributed to the peace and prosperity of the region, he added.

He said that the establishment of the center for further communication among SCO judges and the successful hosting of the first China-SCO judges forum last year, further expanded the exchange platforms for judicial organs in SCO member states. Focusing on deepening judicial cooperation among local courts within the SCO framework, this year’s forum will surely play a key role in exploring new models of judicial cooperation and legal services, and contribute to the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, he added.

Zhou made propositions in consolidating judicial cooperation to achieve more consensuses in such areas as the reform of the civil litigation system, cooperation on criminal judicature, and intellectual property protection. He also called for deepening and expanding judicial cooperation to foster a business environment that is market-oriented, law-based and international, and for improving the judicial cooperation mechanism based on the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits.

Li gave a brief introduction of the socioeconomic development of Shandong. Noting that the forum will open a new chapter for exchanges and mutual learning among SCO member states, he pledged to promote the rule of law and take the forum as an opportunity to expand communication with attending parties.

Presidents and justices of provincial-level courts in Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as presidents of provincial-level courts in China, including those from Tianjin municipality, Guangdong province, Chongqing municipality, and Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, attended the forum online and offline.