Member countries to expand cooperation on judicial affairs

President Xi Jinping said on Friday that China is going to establish a training base at a university in Shanghai to boost judicial exchanges among the members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.  [Special coverage]

The campus is to be based at Shanghai University of Political Science and Law, which will provide judicial training courses for the SCO member countries, Xi said during the 13th summit of the organization in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Friday.

Xi's statement came after the first conference of the SCO's justice ministers, which was held in Beijing from Sept 5 to 6.

The six member countries of the organization will increase judicial cooperation and exchanges to protect their citizens' legal rights, according to a joint statement signed by the justice ministers.

The countries will hold round-table meetings, exchange visits and carry out training programs to promote judicial communication, according to the statement.

The statement was issued on Sept 6 after the law and justice ministers of the countries met for the first time.

Senior judicial officials of the countries will strengthen exchanges to seek common understanding on problems of shared concerns, the statement said.

The countries will increase cooperation in judicial assistance, implementation of court verdicts, forensic expertise and processing judicial documents, according to the statement.

President Xi sent a message of congratulations to the conference on Thursday, saying the organization has broadened cooperation in politics, economy, security and culture among member countries.

The justice ministers' conference is expected to promote judicial communications between the member countries, Xi said in the message.

China has attached great importance to legislative construction and sticks to the principle of administration by law, Xi said.

Meng Jianzhu, secretary of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the member countries should increase cooperation to fight international crimes and ensure regional safety.