Dispute tribunal set up for international expo

Exhibition in Shanghai will attract more than 2,800 enterprises

A tribunal to deal with possible lawsuits during the China International Import Expo, which will be held in Shanghai from Nov 5 to 10, was established inside the venue on Monday.

Six judges and other court staff experienced in foreign commercial cases have been convened for the West Hongqiao (CIIE) Tribunal to provide timely and effective judicial remedies for domestic and foreign parties, the Shanghai High People's Court said.

The tribunal will fast-track court procedures and safeguard the rights and interests of parties involved, including organizers, exhibitors, purchasers, service providers and visitors from home and abroad, including possible disputes in infrastructure construction, exhibition preparation, goods procurement, logistics, financial services, and other support services, the court said.

More than 2,800 enterprises from 130 countries and regions have confirmed their participation, and around half the Fortune 500 companies are expected to attend, according to CIIE organizers.

A mediation and litigation center was also established within the tribunal to provide exhibitors and visitors with one-stop legal services, including mediation, case registration and judicial aid, said Wu Xiaoguo, president of the tribunal.

Exhibitors and visitors can go to the center for on-site pre-litigation mediation and case filing. Law school students who are fluent in foreign languages will work as volunteers to help collect documents and contact judges, Wu said.

Relevant parties can also file case registration and submit evidence online, he added.

A speech-to-text transcription system will be used in the courtroom so everything said during the hearing will be displayed in real time on screens in front of the judges, plaintiff and defendant. It will be also shown on a big screen for spectators.

"It's a way to show justice and transparency in Shanghai," Wu said.

Four mediation institutions, including the Shanghai Commercial Mediation Center, the Shanghai Mediation Center of China Chamber of International Commerce, and Xujing Town (CIIE) United Mediation Center, have been introduced into the mediation center.

"Domestic and foreign mediators experienced in commercial mediation, as well as those from grassroots communities, will provide diversified services for different parties," Wu said.

Lin Xiaonie, president of Shanghai's Qingpu District People's Court, of which the tribunal is a part, said the tribunal will deal with civil and commercial cases involving the exhibition industry, and the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), where the CIIE will be held, after the CIIE ends.

Sheng Yongqiang, vice-president of the Shanghai High People's Court, said the court will also guard against criminal activities that endanger public security and the stable order of the exhibition, such as damaging exhibition halls and disseminating false or terrorist information.