Courts help boost high-level opening-up

In a complex global environment and amid a substantial rise in foreign-related cases, Chinese courts are committed to ensuring equal protection for all entities and have implemented various measures to enhance the nation's business environment, offering "Chinese solutions" for resolving international disputes, according to the head of China's top court.

"Openness is a key feature of Chinese modernization, and the rule of law is the foundation for achieving high-level global engagement," said Zhang Jun, president of the Supreme People's Court, in an exclusive interview with China Daily on the sidelines of the ongoing annual meetings of the nation's top legislative and political advisory bodies.

Citing data from the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period, Zhang said that Chinese courts concluded 128,000 first-instance foreign-related civil and commercial cases involving more than 100 countries and regions, an increase of 65 percent from the previous five years.

In 2025 alone, courts nationwide handled over 67,000 foreign-related commercial and maritime cases, up 44 percent year-on-year, he noted.

With global supply chains restructuring and digital trade on the rise, Zhang said that disputes over international goods contracts, service trade, and related cross-border payments, transportation and insurance are increasing.

As Chinese companies expand globally and foreign investment grows, particularly with the Belt and Road Initiative, relevant cases are also rising, he said. "The rapid increase and diversity of foreign-related cases highlight China's deep integration into the global market and its shift from focusing on goods flow to regulatory and institutional opening-up," he added.

To address the growing number of cases and meet diverse judicial needs, Chinese courts have been striving to provide more equitable, efficient and accessible services to both domestic and foreign litigants, Zhang said.

In June 2018, the first and second international commercial courts of the Supreme People's Court were established in Shen­zhen, Guangdong province, and Xi'an, Shaanxi province, where litigants are allowed to resolve disputes through mediation, arbitration, or litigation, based on their needs. By the end of 2025, these two courts concluded 37 cases involving litigants from 21 countries and regions.

China has also set up international commercial tribunals in 18 cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, and Suzhou in Jiangsu province. In 2025, these tribunals concluded more than 1,700 foreign-related commercial and arbitration review cases involving litigants from over 50 countries and regions, a year-on-year increase of 24 percent.

Zhang said that while respecting litigants' preferences for dispute resolution methods is important, the importance of mediation in handling foreign-related cases is also significant.

He cited a case involving a foreign oil tanker that was unloading at Qingdao port in Shandong province in January, noting that the dispute was resolved within 24 hours following the Xiamen Maritime Court's swift coordination with the Qingdao Maritime Court, and the use of online and offline mediation methods.

Expanding intl influence

The international influence of China's foreign-related judiciary is also expanding, thanks to the development of foreign-related adjudication and optimized legal services, Zhang said.

In September 2022, a Liberian container ship and a Panamanian oil tanker collided in the Strait of Malacca, and the courts in five countries, including China, had jurisdiction over the case. The parties involved proactively chose the Ningbo Maritime Court in Zhejiang province to resolve their dispute under Chinese law, he noted.

"More parties involved in foreign-related cases, even those with no substantial connection to China, are voluntarily choosing to address their disputes in Chinese courts, which is a strong endorsement of China's judicial system and its international credibility," Zhang said.

On their part, Chinese courts are continuously exploring and improving judicial services, he said. In March 2022, a Norwegian company applied to the Shanghai Maritime Court, seeking recognition of a judgment of a United Kingdom court. Despite the lack of an applicable judicial assistance treaty, the Shanghai court recognized the judgment based on the principle of reciprocity, prompting UK courts to recognize two court judgments of China later.

This move not only provides a practical judicial example for establishing a reciprocal relationship, but also breaks the "zero record" of mutual recognition of commercial judgments between Chinese and UK courts. "The initiative demonstrates China's sense of responsibility and judicial confidence," Zhang said.

From 2024 to 2025, Chinese courts received 1,620 applications for recognizing and enforcing foreign judgments, and they concluded 1,510 such cases, he said. "This data shows China's determination to protect the rights of both domestic and foreign parties in foreign-related trials, maintaining a fair, open and inclusive judicial stance," he added.

Mission highlighted

In today's volatile global landscape, Zhang underscored the judiciary's mission to use legal certainty to address external uncertainties. "A stable, transparent legal business environment is vital for protecting foreign investments and promoting international economic cooperation," he said.

Chinese courts have participated in the legislation and amendment of significant foreign-related laws — such as the Foreign Investment Law and the Law on Foreign Relations — to enhance China's judicial framework, Zhang said, adding that courts across the country have also shared their judicial expertise to improve international rules and promote global trade.

In December 2025, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the UN Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents. Zhang said this convention is the first international treaty in the transportation sector that originates from Chinese judicial practice, and was initiated and developed with China's full participation.

"Through judicial decisions, Chinese courts will continue to play a crucial role in guarding against external risks, stabilizing market confidence and promoting global trade and investment, thereby protecting our national interests," he said.

"Through efficient judicial services, we aim to provide certainty for the stable development of both the Chinese economy and the global economy, acting as a 'navigator' for opening-up and an 'anchor of stability' for global trade," he added.