More civil and maritime disputes involving international elements dealt with: SPC

A rising number of civil and maritime disputes involving international elements were dealt with by Chinese courts in the first half of this year, according to data released on Thursday.

Between January and June, 13,645 civil cases and 7,430 marine lawsuits involving foreign factors were concluded, a rise of 34.8 percent and 10.4 percent year-on-year, respectively, according to data provided by the Supreme People's Court, China's top court, at a seminar in Beijing.

Courts have also increased judicial exchange with other countries and improved the way they handle international commercial disputes to serve the development of the Belt and Road Initiative and promote higher-level opening-up, the SPC said.

During the seminar, the SPC summed up the work of courts nationwide in the first six months on an array of issues, including cases related to juveniles, innovation and the environment.

For example, it issued multiple judicial interpretations to protect children's rights and interests in the first half of the year, including provisions for fighting sexual crimes against minors and for promoting family education, and approved death sentences for some child rapists, to show its zero-tolerance for criminals guilty of seriously harming the physical and mental health of minors.

The SPC also revealed that 216,000 intellectual property cases were resolved in the first half of the year, adding that courts have strengthened IP protection, especially of core technologies and emerging industries.

Upholding green development and with enhanced awareness of environmental protection, courts resolved around 100,000 environmental cases in the first six months, a decrease of 8.2 percent year-on-year.

In addition, on the issue of cyberbullying, a hot topic of discussion and complaint on Chinese social media, the SPC produced a guideline in conjunction with the Supreme People's Procuratorate and the Ministry of Public Security, in response to public concern and has set up a joint task force to tackle the problem.