Zhang Jun, chief justice and president of the Supreme People’s Court (SPC) of China, met with a delegation led by Tewodros Mihret, president of the Federal Supreme Court of Ethiopia, in Beijing on May 13.

Zhang Jun, chief justice and president of the Supreme People’s Court of China, meets with a delegation led by Tewodros Mihret, president of the Federal Supreme Court of Ethiopia, in Beijing on May 13. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

Zhang welcomed the delegation, noting that this year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between China and Ethiopia. He highlighted the steady growth of bilateral ties under the strategic guidance of the two countries' leaders, with closer high-level exchanges and growing mutual trust. 

Through platforms like the BRICS Chief Justices Forum, China and Ethiopia has continuously strengthened judicial cooperation, said Zhang, expressing confidence that this visit would further advance practical outcomes in China-Ethiopia judicial collaboration and inject new momentum into the development of bilateral relations.

During the meeting, Zhang briefed the delegation on recent developments in China’s court system, particularly the progress and practical experiences in the development of the digital court system. He introduced key initiatives such as the construction of smart courts, the application of AI-assisted case handling, and the building of the national case database, all of which aim to improve judicial quality and efficiency of judicial work. 

Zhang expressed a readiness to work with the Ethiopian judiciary to implement the outcomes of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and enhance practical cooperation in the fields of digital court development, judicial reform, and judge training, so as to contribute to stronger China-Africa relations and broader Global South collaboration.

Mihret thanked Zhang for the warm reception and productive discussions. He stated that the visit deepened mutual understanding, strengthened consensus, and laid the groundwork for future cooperation. He said he looked forward to advancing judicial exchanges and contributing to the development of the Ethiopia-China all-weather strategic partnership.

Following the meeting, the delegation visited the digital court laboratory of the SPC and the National Judges College