A photo session for participants at the 4th ASEAN-China Judicial Forum in Đà Nẵng City. About 130 deputies from ASEAN member countries and China joined the forum to share experiences in developing e-court and applying AI to judicial adjudication, and future prospects. VNS Photo Công Thành

ĐÀ NẴNG – Việt Nam consistently demonstrates proactive, positive spirit and high responsibility for the shared development of ASEAN-China co-operation and the process of building the ASEAN Community.

Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Chairman of the Party Central Committee's Commission for Internal Affairs, Lê Minh Trí gave his remarks at the opening ceremony of the 4th ASEAN-China Judicial Forum in the central city.

He said Việt Nam still maintained its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, resilience, peace, friendship, co-operation, development, and the multilateralisation and diversification of foreign relations, reflecting Việt Nam's desire to be a friend to all nations.

Trí shared that integration in international communities had increased cross-border civil, commercial, and investment relations and transactions, leading to increasingly diverse and complex disputes and cases involving foreign elements.

“The booming of digital technology and AI serves as a new driver for development, and bringing opportunities to judicial agencies in enhancing the quality and efficiency of trials. The forum offers an exchange for the Courts of ASEAN member states and China sharing experiences on cooperation in resolving cross-border criminal cases, commercial disputes, and building e-Courts and AI applications in adjudication,” Trí said.

Participants join talks and exchange experiences on the sidelines of the 4th ASEAN-China Judicial Forum in Đà Nẵng City. VNS Photo Công Thành

“Việt Nam always reserves priorities for building a rule-of-law state and judicial reform, and expanding international co-operation in the judicial sector. This also serves to gradually modernise the judiciary to effectively combat various types of crime, especially transnational and high-tech crimes, while protecting the legitimate rights and interests of people and businesses in the integration process,” he said.

He stressed that Việt Nam desires to further deepen judicial co-operation with the Supreme People's Court of China and the Courts of ASEAN countries, in contributing to the deeper cooperation between ASEAN and China in a spirit of peace, friendship, equality, sustainable development, and mutual benefit."

Addressing the opening remarks, Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court of Việt Nam, Nguyễn Văn Quảng, shared that judicial cooperation played an important role in building a favourable legal foundation in the administration of justice, and ensuring a stable and transparent cooperation environment in the context of increasing investment and trade exchanges and cooperation between ASEAN countries and China.

He said: “The ASEAN-China Judicial Forum has opened a channel for cooperation aimed at strengthening friendly relations, mutual understanding, and sharing experiences to improve the effectiveness of judicial activities. The fourth forum continues the mechanism of high-level judicial dialogue and cooperation between the Supreme Courts of ASEAN countries and China, following three previous forums held in China in 2014, 2017, and 2022.”

Deputies check-in at the opening ceremony of the 4th ASEAN-China Judicial Forum at Furama Resort Đà Nẵng. VNS Photo Công Thành

Quảng also emphasised that the forum was a chance for participants to exchange and share experiences in dealing with criminal cases, civil disputes, and commercial disputes with cross-border elements, while also proposing methods to enhance judicial cooperation in accordance with the laws and international treaties to which each country is a signatory.

It also provided an opportunity to share experiences in building e-courts, smart courts, and applying artificial intelligence to modernise judicial operations, enhance transparency, and facilitate access to justice for citizens and businesses, he added.

Speaking at the Forum, President and Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court of China, Zhang Jun, affirmed that judicial cooperation had always been an important area in relations between China and ASEAN.

He assessed the ASEAN-China Judicial Forum as a high-level multilateral cooperation mechanism with broad influence and increasing importance between the two sides.

He said the previous three sessions were successfully held in Nanning, Guangxi, China, and other important cities in China, and the fourth forum was held for the first time in an ASEAN country, Việt Nam, coinciding with the 5th anniversary of the establishment of the ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Zhang Jun added that the forum would help contribute to creating a favourable judicial foundation for the socio-economic development of China and ASEAN countries, and make a positive contribution to the stability and development of the region and the world.

The forum, themed ‘Enhancing Regional Judicial Cooperation in the Context of International Integration and the Digital Era’, drew 130 deputies from ASEAN member countries and China sharing experiences in developing e-court and applying AI to judicial adjudication, and future prospects. VNS