On December 2, Feng Ming, Vice-chairman of the Haikou Municipal People’s Congress (“MPC”) Standing Committee, led a group of 11 MPC deputies to visit one detached tribunal of the Haikou Maritime Court and conduct research on the work of the court in 2024. Qiu Jun, Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group and President of the court, along with other court leaders, accompanied the delegation during the visit.

The research team was introduced to the litigation service center of the Boao Tribunal, the typical case display hall, and the diversified dispute resolution room. They were especially shown the court’s highlights of work and achievements in the provision of judicial protection of the marine environment, the building of court culture, and its engagement in local grass-roots governance. They also observed the court session of a case of civil public interest litigation, experiencing and supervising maritime judicial practice firsthand.

At the meeting that ensued, President Qiu Jun reported the work of the year on maritime adjudication to the research team, especially the measures, with the ensuing effects, taken in the following six aspects: strengthening political stance; doing solid work to serve the overall situation; making concrete efforts to administrate justice for the people; facilitating the construction of a strong maritime province; building a high-caliber and high-performing court team; and consciously accepting supervision. The research team acknowledged the special significance and important role of the maritime court in serving the state’s major strategies and decisions and in protecting the marine environment and resources. They fully recognized the efforts of the Haikou Maritime Court in facilitating the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port and serving the country’s major strategies and decisions by fully performing its distinctive maritime judicial functions. They commended that the court had made full use of its unique strengths in maritime adjudication and had done solid work to serve the overall situation by exploring and implementing new thinking and approaches in the judicial work. The MPC deputies exchanged opinions with the court on various topics, including, inter alia, the reform of the “three-in-one” trial scheme of civil, administrative, and criminal cases involving maritime issues, the ad hoc arbitration system, as well as the participation of Hainan lawyers in the cases involving foreign elements. They also offered opinions and suggestions, including, for example, to enhance the publicity of maritime justice and to strengthen the trial of cases of public interest litigation involving the marine environment.

Vice-chairman Feng Ming set some expectations for the Haikou Maritime Court regarding the work to do in the next step:

First, the court must follow the guiding principle of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and fully and appropriately implement Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law and the important speeches of General Secretary Xi Jinping on building a strong maritime country in every aspect and throughout the entire process of maritime trial.

Second, the court must fully apply a holistic approach to national security, fully exercise maritime judicial jurisdiction over the sea areas under China’s jurisdiction according to law, resolutely uphold China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and serve and safeguard the building of a strong maritime country.

Third, the court must further improve its maritime litigation service system and capacity, continue to explore new ways to facilitate exchanges and communication with the outside world, and enrich the media, mode, and content of external publicity to better tell a story of maritime justice in China.

Fourth, the court must continue to improve the mechanisms for enhancing coordination between the maritime court and competent authorities, promote the building of detached tribunals and maritime trial “think tanks”, improve the quality and efficiency of maritime trials, and promote the integration of practice and theoretical research of maritime trial.  

Fifth, the court must deepen judicial openness, consciously accept supervision from the People’s Congress, and take the initiative to listen to the opinions and suggestions of the MPC deputies, to facilitate positive interaction between the supervision of the People’s Congress and the work of the maritime court and to continuously improve the maritime judicial credibility.  

President Qiu Jun expressed sincere thanks to the MPC deputies for their understanding and support for the work of the court. She said that their insightful opinions and suggestions were helpful to the work of the court in the next step and would give the court more resolve and confidence to fully perform its duties and functions and do all the work well in the exercise of maritime justice. She also expressed that the court would summarize the deputies’ opinions and suggestions and implement them in concrete measures and actions in the future, to serve and safeguard the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port and the building of a strong maritime country with high-quality maritime judicial service.