On November 19, the 31st National Maritime Trial Seminar was held at the Shanghai Maritime Court. Shen Hongyu, Chief Judge of the Fourth Civil Division of the Supreme People’s Court, attended the event and delivered a speech. Wang Tong, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and President of the Shanghai Maritime Court, presided over the event. Responsible comrades from relevant departments of the Supreme People’s Court, presidents of 11 maritime courts nationwide, responsible comrades from relevant departments of various maritime courts and their appellate high courts, experts, scholars, and representatives of award-winning paper authors attended the meeting.
Shen Hongyu stated that this year is a milestone in the development of maritime adjudication. Maritime adjudication is facing new historical opportunities, stepping onto a new developmental stage, and also shouldering heavier responsibilities and missions. It is necessary to further enhance the political stance of maritime adjudication work, ensure that theoretical research always adheres to the correct direction, persist in being guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, thoroughly implement Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, and improve the effectiveness of judicial services in supporting the implementation of the “15th Five-Year Plan” recommendations. It is essential to further expand the transformation of theoretical research results, focus on the “major national priorities,” deepen the interpretation of basic theories, respond to new types of issues and “urgent, difficult, and obstructive” problems in judicial practice, and promote the unification of adjudication rules. It is also important to further strengthen organizational leadership and institutional support, pay attention to the cultivation of talents in maritime trial theoretical research, and create a favorable atmosphere for higher-level maritime trial theoretical research.
The meeting announced the selection results for outstanding papers of the 31st National Maritime Trial Seminar. During the discussion session, participants engaged in thematic exchanges and discussions around three topics: “Modernization of the Maritime Trial System and Specialization of Judicial Capacity,” “Implementation of the Maritime Code and Issues Related to the Revision of the Maritime Procedure Law,” and “Research on Judicial Issues in Emerging Areas of Marine Economic Development.”
At the closing ceremony, Li Qunxing, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and President of the Wuhan Maritime Court, accepted the conference flag and emblem on behalf of the host of the next seminar. He stated that the Wuhan Maritime Court would uphold the concept of “exchanging and learning from each other to promote common development,” base its efforts on the judicial practice of inland waterway shipping, meticulously plan the conference agenda, build a high-level academic exchange platform, and inject new momentum into advancing the modernization of maritime justice and serving the construction of a strong shipping nation.
Full-media reporter Yin Yulong
