Shanghai strives to build an international maritime judicial center

Shanghai Maritime Court is working on the international maritime judicial center, which will guarantee the implementation of national strategies and make sure that China's maritime justice develops even more rapidly, said the court's president at a recent forum.

Zhao Hong, president of Shanghai Maritime Court, made these remarks at the second-session of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Development Forum, in her keynote speech - "Shanghai advances the construction on the international maritime judicial center".

As China aims to become a "maritime power", it has been enhancing its international credibility and influence of maritime justice and participating in global maritime judicial cases more proactively.

Shanghai Maritime Court was appointed to build an international maritime judicial center by the Supreme People's Court this April.

According to Zhao, the Court is exploring ways to serve national strategies and simultaneously set up an international shipping center, because the judicial center is required to work with a shipping center and promote each other.

To become more internationalized under the rule of law, the Court plans to enhance its judicial capabilities and institutional innovations, supported by Big Data, Internet Plus and artificial intelligence.

When combining its own development with the judicial center, the court will fully use its advantages, including a leading position in the country and have influence in not just Asia-Pacific but all over the world. It has made it clear that the judicial center is primarily responsible for resolving international shipping disputes while also working as a judicial think tank and exchange center, said Zhao.

Insisting on fair and efficient judicature, the court has heard many typical cases with international influence and in the recent years it has improved the quality of its judges, while receiving worldwide attention.

A great city gives birth to new engines; therefore Shanghai has unique advantages and potential in building an international maritime judicial center.

Zhao noted that the court is able to and should pass on more wisdom to the international maritime judicature.

The forum, themed "New Opportunities, New Engines, New Space", was part of the 2017 "China Maritime Day" celebrations in Shanghai, which included 400 industry experts, and enterprise and government representatives from the shipping and financial circles.