On Oct. 11, Guangzhou Intermediary People's Court established China's first collegiate bench for cases arising from Belt and Road construction.
The new collegiate bench is expected to help deal with cross-border civil and commercial disputes related to countries along the Belt and Road routes more efficiently, providing Guangzhou with better judicial services and legal safeguard for its participation in Belt and Road construction.
The Guangzhou Intermediary People's Court has handled 385 cases related to the Belt and Road Initiative since 2014, among which 281 have been concluded. The cases cover most types of commercial disputes.
Xiang Jinhua, vice-head of the court, said Guangzhou is a hub city in the construction of the Belt and Road, and has active trade relations with the countries along the routes. Founding a professional collegiate bench has advantages in plugging institutional loopholes and offering reminders on market risks and verifying the application of statutory rules, so as to improve case processing efficiency.