Chinese courts should advance the high-quality development of foreign-related commercial and maritime trials, so as to better facilitate the country's high-level opening-up and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation with Chinese modernization, according to Zhou Qiang, president of the Supreme People's Court, who attended and addressed a conference on foreign-related commercial and maritime trial work held both online and onsite in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong province, on Feb 8.

A conference on foreign-related commercial and maritime trial work is held in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong province, on Feb 8, 2023. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

In his speech, Zhou urged Chinese courts at all levels to fully implement the guiding principles of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), as well as the opinions of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on the SPC's report on foreign-related trials of the people's courts, and to speed up the modernization of the judicial system and capacity.

He acknowledged that efforts and progress have been made by courts nationwide to improve their judicial capacity of handling foreign-related cases, deepen international judicial exchanges and cooperation, as well as to build professional teams, since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012.

Zhou reiterated the principle of equally protecting the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese and foreign parties, and of actively promoting a market-oriented, law-based and internationalized business environment.

He suggested deepening the reform of the foreign-related commercial and maritime trial system, advancing the construction of an international commercial tribunal, and improving the one-stop diversified dispute resolution center for international commercial affairs.

The jurisdiction mechanism of foreign-related civil and commercial cases should be optimized, Zhou noted, adding that it's necessary to launch smart courts for foreign-related commercial and maritime trials, constantly improve the quality and efficiency of foreign-related trials and judicial credibility, participate in the reform and construction of the global governance system, and build a high-quality professional team in the field.