In June 2021, the International Labour Organization announced the appointment of four new judges to its Administrative Tribunal, among whom was Shen Hongyu, the first Chinese judge in the tribunal’s history.

Since July 2021, Shen, chief judge of the Fourth Civil Division of China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC), has served on the Geneva-based tribunal, which adjudicates employment-related disputes between international organizations that have voluntarily accepted its jurisdiction and their staff members. 

Reflecting on her appointment, she recalled both pride and a strong sense of responsibility in representing China on the international judicial stage.

Her appointment marked a milestone, filling a long-standing gap in China’s participation in international administrative justice. In her view, it also reflected the trust and recognition international organizations place in China’s judiciary and in the professional competence of Chinese judges, while also bringing higher expectations for China’s judicial work. 

At the tribunal, Shen works as both a reporting judge and a panel member. Each year, she travels to Geneva for two hearing sessions, during which the tribunal issues over 100 substantive judgments per session. 

Beyond her international role, Shen also highlighted the growing global influence of China’s mediation experience. 

In recent years, the SPC has established a “one-stop” diversified international commercial dispute resolution platform that effectively integrates early neutral evaluation, litigation, mediation and arbitration. The mechanism has provided valuable Chinese experience for resolving international commercial disputes and reflects the philosophy of achieving mutually beneficial outcomes through dialogue and consultation.

Shen emphasized that professional competence is key to earning the trust of the parties. Mediation in international commercial disputes is complex, as it involves parties from different jurisdictions, legal systems, and cultural backgrounds, often with divergent expectations of judicial procedures and the role of judges, according to Shen. This requires judges not only to be well-versed in applicable laws, international treaties and practices, but also to possess strong foreign language skills and a solid understanding of commercial realities, she noted.

She said that effective mediation begins with an accurate and efficient determination of the facts, followed by setting clear and realistic objectives. Only by fully grasping the core issues in disputes and the positions of each party, can judges accurately assess the scope for settlement and facilitate tailored solutions, she added.

“Being a judge is a lifelong commitment to fairness and justice,” she said. “I hope more outstanding young people will join the ranks of courts and contribute to safeguarding fairness and justice.”