Zhang Jun, president and chief justice of the Supreme People’s Court (SPC) of China, met in Shenzhen, South China’s Guangdong province, with delegations of presidents of supreme courts from Portuguese-speaking countries and regions, who visited the Chinese mainland after attending the Forum of Presidents of the Supreme Courts from Portuguese-speaking Countries and Regions held in the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR).

Presidents that Zhang met were: Benfeito Mosso Ramos, president of the Supreme Court of Justice of Cape Verde; Francisco Evuy Nguema Mikue, president of the Supreme Court of Equatorial Guinea; Adelino Manuel Muchanga, president of the Supreme Court of Mozambique; João Cura Mariano, president of the Supreme Court of Justice of Portugal; Afonso Carmona, president of the Court of Appeal of Timor-Leste; Eurídice Pina Dias, acting president of the Supreme Court of Justice of São Tomé and Príncipe; and Pedro Nazaré Pascoal, justice of the Supreme Court of Justice of Angola.

Zhang Jun, president and chief justice of the Supreme People’s Court of China, holds a work meeting in Shenzhen with presidents of supreme courts from Portuguese-speaking countries and regions, who visited the Chinese mainland after attending the Forum of Presidents from Portuguese-speaking Countries and Regions held in the Macao Special Administrative Region. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

During the meeting, Zhang extended a warm welcome to the delegations. He noted that China and Portuguese-speaking countries share a long-standing friendship and have continuously deepened mutual trust and cooperation in recent years. The SPC and the supreme courts of Portuguese-speaking countries have maintained close bilateral and multilateral exchanges, achieving fruitful outcomes in judicial cooperation. Zhang expressed confidence that this visit would further enhance the understanding of China’s judicial system among Portuguese-speaking countries and elevate judicial exchanges and cooperation to a new level.

Zhang briefed the delegations on China’s progress in advancing the rule of law and the recent work of Chinese courts. He highlighted efforts to enhance judicial services for national development and the people, deepen judicial reform, apply technology to improve judicial efficiency, and promote diversified dispute resolution. 

He noted that the fourth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China has recently concluded, outlining strategic plans for China’s economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period and setting key tasks for further opening-up and strengthening the rule of law. Zhang said that Chinese courts will continue to ensure strict and impartial justice to support the implementation of these objectives.

He expressed the SPC’s readiness to expand exchanges and practical cooperation with judicial institutions of Portuguese-speaking countries and regions, contributing to the development of China–Portuguese-speaking countries relations and providing stronger judicial support for building a community with a shared future for humanity.

Zhang Jun meets with the heads of delegations. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

Benfeito Mosso Ramos spoke on behalf of the delegations. He expressed appreciation for the warm reception by the Chinese courts and commended China’s achievements in judicial reform, dispute resolution, and building digital courts. He said that the delegations looks forward to strengthening exchanges and cooperation with Chinese courts to promote the continuous development of judicial civilizations of various countries via mutual learning and enhance friendship and wellbeing of their people.

Song Man Lei, president of the Court of Final Appeal of the Macao SAR, said that Macao, as the only region in the world using both Chinese and Portuguese as official languages, will continue to serve as a bridge between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, uphold the “one country, two systems” policy, further advance judicial cooperation and contribute to national rule of law and development in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area.

Vice-President of the SPC Mao Zhonghua, President of the Guangdong High People’s Court Zhang Haibo, representatives from the SPC, members of the delegations, and envoys of Portuguese-speaking countries in China also attended the meeting.