Foreign faith in Chinese courts is on the rise

Handling of international disputes is earning praise, as the number of BRI cases increases. Cao Yin reports.

Lawyer Shao Jingshu has traveled frequently around the world in recent years to help solve a multitude of foreign disputes. Many relate to maritime and international trade deals stemming from China's expanding global reach.

And more Chinese enterprises are seeking her legal advice before extending their businesses overseas, especially as the Belt and Road Initiative and associated projects move forward.

"Some big Chinese logistics companies have asked for my aid in drafting contracts with their foreign partners to avoid any legal risks when they were setting up branches in Southeast Asian nations," said Shao, who works for Rolmax Law Office in Shanghai.

Gao Xiaoli, a senior judge at the Supreme People's Court, said Chinese courts have seen a rapid rise of foreign-related cases, as litigants from home and abroad doing international business place a higher demand on dispute resolution.

Courts across the country heard 63,894 foreign-related commercial or maritime cases from 1978 to 2000, according to statistics from the nation's top court. Over the following 10 years, the figure skyrocketed to 220,080.

"The boom in cases has brought opportunities for Chinese courts to improve their ability to hear the cases," Gao said. "Our equal protection of both parties in the handling of cases has also made more foreign litigants willing to select our courts when they encounter trouble in international investment or trade."

Guo Zhen, an attorney from Fujian province, said China's handling of international commercial cases has been applauded around the world for its increasingly professional judicial teams and efficient legal services.

But all of today's judicial achievements were not easy to come by. Fei Zongyi, 91, a retired judge from the Supreme People's Court, witnessed firsthand both the difficulties and developments of hearing foreign-related cases.

"It's the courage and innovation of judicial pioneers in courts, who made our foreign-related case hearings grow out of nothing, and then become powerful," Fei said.