On Jan 16, the Supreme People’s Court (SPC) convened a symposium to solicit opinions and suggestions from legal scholars on the SPC’s draft work report and judicial work. Zhang Jun, president of the SPC, attended the meeting.

The Supreme People’s Court (SPC) convenes a symposium to solicit opinions and suggestions from legal scholars on the SPC’s draft work report and judicial work on Jan 16. Zhang Jun, president of the SPC, attends the meeting. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

Participants, including a deputy to the National People’s Congress, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and specially invited advisers to the SPC, as well as representatives of legal scholars, spoke highly of the adjudication work over the past year and shared their views on the draft work report.

They noted that courts have borne in mind the country’s overarching priorities, proactively aligned judicial work with the overall work of the Party and the State, and delivered more tangible results. They also praised courts for making good use of mediation in dispute resolution, describing it as a distinctive and people-centered mechanism in China.

Participants acknowledged the draft report as pragmatic and well-structured, featuring review and outlook, data and analysis, as well as overall assessment and highlights. They said they observed the extensive use of data reflects tangible improvements in adjudication quality and effectiveness, while also highlighting the heavy workload of judges.

Tang Weijian, a deputy to the National People’s Congress; Hu Jianmiao, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference; Liu Junhai, Li Jianwei, He Ronggong, Feng Lixia and Xiong Qiuhong, specially invited advisers to the SPC, as well as representatives of legal scholars including Yu Wenxuan, Li Honglei, Song Yinghui, Chen Hangping, Lin Wei, Hou Meng, Guo Li and Cheng Xiao, speak at the symposium, affirming the adjudication work over the past year and sharing their views on the draft work report. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

Participants put forward concrete suggestions for further improving both court work and the report. These included making key sections more prominently, presenting recent judicial interpretations and normative documents in a more systematic manner, elaborating more on issues of major concern, and adding contextual explanations to better interpret changes in statistical data.

Zhang expressed appreciation for the valuable input provided from diverse perspectives, noting that such feedback is instrumental in strengthening judicial practice. 

He briefed the participants on courts’ efforts over the past year to address the rising caseload and the challenges of effectively resolving disputes, to enhance adjudication quality, efficiency and effectiveness through upholding the “Fengqiao Experience” in the new era to promote the prevention and substantive resolution of disputes at the source, and to improve mechanisms for both internal and external oversight to ensure the regulated exercise of judicial power.

Zhang expressed the hope of the SPC that legal scholars will continue to support, engage with and supervise the work of courts, further advancing the mutual reinforcement of judicial practice and legal theory and contributing jointly to the development of the rule of law.

SPC’s Executive Vice-President Deng Xiuming, vice-presidents Tao Kaiyuan and Gao Xiaoli, standing members of the SPC’s Adjudication Committee Liu Guixiang and Wang Shumei, as well as representatives from relevant departments, also attended the symposium.