On April 23, Li Zhanguo, president of the Zhejiang High People’s Court, delivered a keynote speech on judicial protection of juvenile at the 20th Meeting of Chief Justices of Supreme Courts of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Member States, which was held in Hangzhou, East China’s Zhejiang province.

In his address, Li emphasized that Zhejiang courts have long upheld the principle of “rehabilitation and education as the primary approach, with punishment as supplementary” in handling juvenile criminal cases. He introduced a range of initiatives implemented by courts across the province such as post-adjudication follow-ups, non-custodial supervision systems, the establishment of juvenile courts and specialized panels, and partnerships with education departments to provide legal and mental health education. Zhejiang courts also collaborated with organizations like women’s federations to provide parenting guidance for families of juvenile delinquents, Li said.

Li pointed out several challenges facing juvenile justice today, including the prevalence of online offenses, insufficient protection resources, ineffective coordination across sectors, and lack of international cooperation. He called for a more balanced system of prevention and rehabilitation, improved specialization in juvenile adjudication, enhanced integration of judicial efforts with families, schools, society, and digital platforms, and deeper global collaboration on juvenile protection.

Li concluded by calling on the international community to remain engaged in and supportive of juvenile protection efforts, encouraging a collective contribution of insights and strength to this shared cause.

The session was chaired by Jia Yu, president of the Shanghai High People’s Court. Judges and officials from Belarus, India, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan also contributed their perspectives on the topic.