Database to help Chinese courts better settle international disputes

A law database regarding the Belt and Road Initiative is expected to be established to help Chinese courts better resolve international commercial disputes, an official from China's top court released on Tuesday.

"The database will focus on foreign-related cases, especially those in countries involved in the initiative, so as to give litigants easier access to searching relevant materials," said Shen Hongyu, deputy chief judge of the Supreme People's Court's No 4 Civil Division.

"Meanwhile, more typical or influential cases related to the initiative will also be disclosed," she added.

The court has stepped up efforts in the handling of international commercial disputes in recent years, aiming to strengthen legal protections for the initiative, which was proposed by China in 2013.

In June 2018, two international commercial courts were established in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, and Xi'an, Shaanxi province. So far, the two courts have heard 27 cases, of which 11 have been concluded, according to information provided by the top court.

To assist in mediating between litigants in international commercial disputes and advising the two international commercial courts, the Supreme People's Court also established the International Commercial Expert Committee as a think tank in August 2018.

Shen said on Tuesday that international commercial cases in China have involved litigants from a number of countries, including the United States, Japan, Italy and Thailand, and encompassed a variety of issues, such as the distribution of a company's surplus and the confirmation of a shareholder's qualification.

She added that 47 people from around the world have been appointed members of the committee, serving as a bridge in international exchanges and cooperation and helping build consensus on the rule of law.

From 2013 to June, Chinese courts concluded some 295,000 foreign-related commercial and maritime cases, while issuing of 31 judicial interpretations and nine normative documents in this regard, according to Wang Shumei, chief judge of the division.

While focusing more on participating in making international rules over the past few years, courts nationwide have also paid greater attention to educating talent, especially those handling international trades, investments and maritime disputes, she added.