The fourth ASEAN-China Justice Forum is held in Da Nang, Vietnam. [Photo/court.gov.cn] 

Zhang Jun, chief justice and president of the Supreme People's Court of China, attends and addresses the 4th ASEAN-China Justice Forum. [Photo/court.gov.cn] 

Zhang Jun, chief justice and president of the Supreme People's Court (SPC) of China, led a delegation on a visit to Vietnam from Oct 9 to 12, during which he attended and addressed the 4th ASEAN-China Justice Forum held in Da Nang, Vietnam.

Le Minh Tri, a member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and chairman of the CPV Central Committee's Commission for Internal Affairs; Nguyen Van Quang, secretary of the CPV Central Committee and chief justice of the Supreme People's Court of Vietnam; and Le Ngoc Quang, a member of the CPV Central Committee and secretary of the CPV Committee of Da Nang City, attended and addressed the forum.

Addressing the forum, Zhang noted that China and ASEAN countries are good neighbors, good friends, and good partners linked by mountains and rivers. Guided by the strategic consensus reached by the leaders of China and ASEAN countries, the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership has continued to deepen, yielding fruitful results in cooperation across various fields, he said. Judicial cooperation has long been an important component of the China-ASEAN partnership, he added.

Zhang said this year's forum, held on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership and hosted by an ASEAN country (Vietnam) for the first time, carries great significance.

Against the backdrop of accelerating global changes, economic and trade ties, industrial cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between China and ASEAN are becoming increasingly close, he noted. The forum's theme, "Strengthening Judicial Cooperation amid International Integration and the Digital Era," reflects the evolving needs of regional development, he said.

Zhang expressed the willingness of Chinese courts to work with their ASEAN counterparts to deepen mutual understanding and strengthen mutual respect and trust, jointly address risks and challenges to safeguard regional development, advance digital justice by harnessing technology to improve judicial work, and expand practical cooperation across more areas. 

He called on the judicial authorities of China and ASEAN countries to translate shared visions and initiatives into concrete actions and consensus on cooperation into tangible outcomes, providing stronger judicial support for the sustained development of the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership and contributing to building a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future.

Participants discussed and adopted a joint statement of the fourth ASEAN-China Justice Forum. Chief justices, presidents of supreme courts and senior justices from ASEAN countries attended the forum and delivered speeches.

On the sidelines of the forum, Zhang also held bilateral meetings with heads of delegations from ASEAN countries.

Zhang Jun holds talks with Le Minh Tri, a member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and chairman of the CPV Central Committee's Commission for Internal Affairs. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

During his meeting with Le Minh Tri, Zhang said China and Vietnam are friendly socialist neighbors linked by mountains and rivers and bound by a special bond of comradeship and brotherhood. Guided by the strategic consensus reached by the leaders of the two parties and the two countries, efforts to build a China-Vietnam community with a shared future have made steady progress, charting a course for bilateral judicial cooperation, he said.

Zhang said Chinese courts stand ready to work with Vietnamese courts to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two parties and the two countries and make greater contributions to economic development, social stability and people's well-being in both countries.

Le Minh Tri said that the more complex the international environment becomes, the greater need there is for Vietnam and China to strengthen exchanges and cooperation and jointly address challenges. He noted that friendly exchanges between the judicial authorities of the two countries are an important part of bilateral relations. He expressed hope for deeper cooperation in the development of digital courts, combating cross-border crime and resolving disputes to better serve the people of both countries.

Zhang Jun meets with Nguyen Van Quang, secretary of the CPV Central Committee and chief justice of the Supreme People's Court of Vietnam. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

While meeting with Nguyen Van Quang, Zhang noted that judicial exchanges and cooperation between China and Vietnam have continued to expand in scope and substance, setting an example of friendly engagement between the judicial authorities of China and ASEAN countries.

Zhang outlined the progress made by Chinese courts in various areas of judicial work and expressed hope that the two sides would deepen exchanges, learn from each other's experience and work together to promote regional prosperity and improve people's well-being.

Nguyen Van Quang said Vietnam and China, both socialist countries, share similarities in their political and economic systems, providing a solid foundation for judicial cooperation. He expressed hope that the two sides would take the forum as an opportunity to exchange experience in digital court development and deepen cooperation at all levels, particularly between courts in provincial-level regions along the China-Vietnam border, turning shared understandings into more practical outcomes.

Zhang Jun meets with Dato Paduka Steven Chong Wan Oon, chief justice of the Supreme Court of Brunei Darussalam. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

During his meeting with Dato Paduka Steven Chong Wan Oon, chief justice of the Supreme Court of Brunei Darussalam, Zhang said China and Brunei are friendly neighbors and trusted partners that support each other. He noted that the leaders of the two countries exchanged congratulatory messages on Sept 30 to mark the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

Zhang said judicial exchanges and cooperation between the two countries have benefited from and contributed to their increasingly close ties in various fields. Chinese courts are willing to share experience in the judicial application of artificial intelligence and further consolidate their friendly cooperative relationship, Zhang added.

Chong expressed support for the ASEAN-China Justice Forum in playing a more active role. He hoped that, under the framework of the updated memorandum of understanding on judicial cooperation between the two sides, courts in both countries would deepen practical cooperation and strengthen exchanges in digital court development and the resolution of cross-border commercial disputes, contributing to the development of bilateral relations.

Zhang Jun meets with Afonso Carmona, president of the Court of Appeal of Timor-Leste. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

During his meeting with Afonso Carmona, president of the Court of Appeal of Timor-Leste, Zhang said the continued advancement of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation has led to deepened exchanges between China and Timor-Leste across various fields, creating new opportunities for judicial cooperation.

He expressed hope that the two sides would maintain high-level communication, enhance mutual judicial trust and deepen practical cooperation in case exchanges, judicial training and judicial assistance to achieve more tangible results.

Carmona said the Court of Appeal of Timor-Leste would participate more actively in multilateral mechanisms such as the ASEAN-China Justice Forum and deepen cooperation with China’s SPC in diversified resolution of cross-border disputes and the training of highly qualified judicial professionals, contributing to regional prosperity, stability and development through the rule of law.

Zhang Jun meets with Suharto, deputy chief justice of the Supreme Court of Indonesia. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

While meeting with Suharto, deputy chief justice of the Supreme Court of Indonesia, Zhang noted that China and Indonesia are both major developing countries and important partners. He expressed hope that the courts of the two countries would exchange experience in judicial reform and digital transformation of the judiciary, strengthen cooperation in combating cross-border crime and maintaining order in cross-border trade, and contribute to the development of the China-Indonesia comprehensive strategic partnership.

Suharto said friendly exchanges between the judicial authorities of the two countries reflect the broader development of bilateral relations. He expressed hope that Indonesia could draw on China's experience in applying artificial intelligence in judicial work and deepen exchanges in judicial training and improvements to litigation procedures, thereby supporting bilateral economic and trade cooperation and enhancing people's well-being.

Zhang also held friendly exchanges with heads of delegations from Thailand, Cambodia and Laos.

Zhang Jun meets with Le Ngoc Quang, a member of the CPV Central Committee and secretary of the CPV Committee of Da Nang City. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

Zhang Jun leads a Chinese court delegation on a visit to the Da Nang High People's Court in Vietnam. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

During his visit to Vietnam, Zhang met with Le Ngoc Quang and visited the Da Nang High People's Court. During his meeting with Le Ngoc Quang, Zhang emphasized the importance of a sound law-based environment for business development. He said Chinese courts protect the lawful rights and interests of businesses under all forms of ownership on an equal footing and in accordance with the law, supporting steady and healthy economic and social development.

Zhang expressed hope for deeper exchanges with Vietnamese courts to facilitate the high-quality, efficient and convenient resolution of disputes, particularly those involving cross-border trade, and to support stable bilateral relations and high-quality economic and social development.

Le Ngoc Quang said the judiciary plays a positive role in safeguarding social fairness and justice, fostering a law-based environment and protecting people's well-being. He expressed hope that the two sides would further consolidate and deepen judicial cooperation to better support economic and social development and the building of a community with a shared future between the two countries.

Jia Yu, president of the Shanghai High People's Court; Zhu Yu, president of the Hunan High People's Court; Zhang Haibo, president of the Guangdong High People's Court; and Huang Hailong, president of the High People's Court of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, among other senior Chinese judges, delivered presentations and participated in related activities. Their presentations focused on cooperation in handling cross-border criminal cases and civil and commercial disputes in the digital era, as well as experience and prospects in digital court development and the application of artificial intelligence in adjudication.

Officials from the Chinese embassy in Vietnam and the Chinese consulate general in Da Nang accompanied the delegation during relevant activities.