Optimizing adjudication work on foreign-related commercial and maritime cases was highlighted by Zhou Qiang, president of the Supreme People's Court (SPC), at a working conference on Nov 7.

The Fifth National Working Conference on Foreign-Related Commercial and Maritime Trials was held in Qingdao, Shandong province.

At the conference, Zhou required courts at various levels to summarize and learn from experiences in previous foreign-related commercial and maritime trials to improve judicial services for the Belt and Road Initiative and the development of free trade zones and the Yangtze River Economic Zone, and to build China into a maritime power.

He pointed out that for years, courts have studied and analyzed international conventions and participated in negotiations on international economic trade and maritime regulations, which protected China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests and made contributions to the reform and opening-up.

China's opening-up is now in a new era, which calls for new requirements in foreign-related commercial and maritime adjudication.

Zhou stressed the significance of constructing an international commercial tribunal and an international maritime justice center to provide judicial support for the nation’s strategies.

He added that there is also a need to promote establishment of intelligent courts, build a special team and recruit judicial talents to make foreign-related commercial and maritime adjudication more professional and informationized.