Building bridges

The First Circuit Court in Shenzhen, the site of China's first Special Economic Zone and a pioneer of reform in Guangdong province, has contributed to improved judicial communication and cooperation between the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, according to an official at the Supreme People's Court.

The establishment of the court in Shenzhen was partly motivated by the need to deal with the rapidly rising number of cases and also with new types of disputes - such as those involving new technologies for which few laws have yet been formulated - in Guangdong and the neighboring regions. In addition, the new court has made it more convenient for residents of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan to lodge lawsuits in the mainland, Liu Guixiang, the circuit court's president, said.

"Since it was established last year, the circuit court has played a major role in handling cases involving Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and has also helped to implement verdicts in line with legal aid contracts," Liu said.

Last year alone, cases related to Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan accounted for 30 percent of the hearings held at the court, which also issued guidelines covering the delivery of legal materials and the collection of evidence between Taiwan and the mainland, he said.

Gao Xiaoli, a judge who specializes in civil and commercial cases outside the mainland, said the new branch of the Supreme People's Court is a "window" that allows Hong Kong to understand the work of the mainland judiciary.

Statistics released by the top court show that last year the Shenzhen circuit court was visited by more than 70 legal professionals from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, who observed proceedings to gain greater insight into the mainland's judicial reforms and legal procedures. Seven judges from the circuit court also traveled to Hong Kong to further explain matters.

"This legal interaction has become more frequent since the circuit court was set up last year. The top court has encouraged us to improve communications with legal professionals in the three areas to alleviate misunderstandings resulting from the use of different judicial systems," she said.

"The rising number of economic exchanges with these areas means greater judicial understanding is crucial. We need each other and will make great efforts to learn more about each other's working practices and systems," she added.