The Supreme People’s Court (SPC) held a symposium on Jan 23 with representatives from the science and technology community and the foreign-related sector to solicit opinions on the SPC’s draft work report and judicial adjudication work. Zhang Jun, president of the SPC, attended the meeting.

The Supreme People’s Court (SPC) holds a symposium on Jan 23 with representatives from the science and technology community and the foreign-related sector to solicit opinions on SPC’s draft work report and judicial adjudication work. Zhang Jun, president of the SPC, attends the meeting. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

Deputies to the National People’s Congress and representatives from higher education institutions, research institutes and enterprises shared their assessments of courts’ work over the past year, and expressed affirmation for the SPC’s draft work report. 

Representatives from relevant departments in technology and foreign-related fields including the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Commerce, and the National Data Administration made remarks during the symposium, affirming the achievements of courts in supporting sci-tech and foreign-related work through adjudication over the past year. 

Participants acknowledged the efforts and achievements of courts in supporting sci-tech innovation, protecting the lawful rights and interests of enterprises, safeguarding national economic security, engaging in international economic and trade rule making, and strengthening intellectual property rights (IPR) protection. They also noted that a large number of IPR cases had been adjudicated fairly in accordance with the law, which in turn contributed to innovation-driven development and the development of new quality productive forces. They said that the draft work report is comprehensive and well-focused, offering clear guidance and backed by solid data and concrete case examples.

Deputies to the National People’s Congress Li Jinghai and Chen Youkun, together with Du Tao from East China University of Political Science and Law, He Bo from the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, Zhang Baoquan from Beijing Jingdiao Group Co Ltd, Shan Wenhua from Xi’an Jiaotong University, and Huo Zhengxin from China University of Political Science and Law, share their assessments of courts’ work over the past year, and express affirmation for the draft work report of the Supreme People’s Court. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

Representatives from departments in technology and foreign-related fields, including the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Commerce and the National Data Administration, speak at the symposium and fully affirm the achievements of courts in supporting technology and foreign-related work through judicial adjudication over the past year. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

Based on their practical experience, participants put forward 27 suggestions on further improving judicial work and the draft work report. The suggestions included improving mechanisms to better protect the lawful rights and interests of enterprises operating overseas, strengthening the guiding role of typical cases to encourage innovation and deter infringement, enhancing adjudication capacity and efficiency in IPR cases, enhancing information sharing on IPR protection, better presenting the work of intellectual property tribunals in the work report, and intensifying efforts to combat academic misconduct to foster a sound environment for research integrity.

Zhang expressed appreciation for the long-term support from experts and relevant departments, noting that their suggestions would help courts better contribute to high-quality development. He briefed the participants on courts’ work over the past year, pointing out that large caseloads, complex adjudication and difficulties in resolving disputes at the source remain persistent challenges for courts nationwide.

He said courts at all levels have upheld strict and impartial justice, placed greater emphasis on resolving disputes at the source while delivering clear and well-founded judgments. They have continuously improved adjudication quality and efficiency, strengthened legal reasoning in judgments, and promoted consistency in adjudication rules through online platforms and case databases, Zhang added. 

He also highlighted their efforts to approach judicial work in the broader context while ensuring that cases are handled strictly in accordance with the law, accurately understand and apply the law, and strike a proper balance between promoting regulation and supporting development. Efforts have also been made to summarize adjudication experience in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, refine governance rules and judicial policies, and ensure alignment with broader macro-policy orientations, he noted.

Courts have strengthened adjudication management in line with judicial principles, leveraged technology to empower judicial work, and enhanced governance through both human oversight and technological controls, ensuring fair and efficient adjudication, according to Zhang. 

He called for deeper cooperation with the sci-tech and foreign-related sectors to build stronger synergy and better support a sound start to the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period.

The symposium was chaired by SPC Vice-President Tao Kaiyuan. Senior SPC officials and representatives from relevant departments also attended the meeting.