Courts to be introduced for Lingang area

Shanghai High People's Court and the Supreme People's Court are expected to set up courts within the Lingang Special Area of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone to ensure judicial infrastructure for companies in the area. 

Zhu Feng, an official with the management committee's systematic innovation office, says it has been actively pushing for the judicial courts to be set up inside the zone to sort out commercial or trade disputes as a part of efforts to improve the business environment. 

It's also in the process of introducing third-party authentication institutions and arbitration bodies for international commercial case trials.

Ensuring the eligibility of local operations and a sound legal framework in the area is an important factor for carrying out business activities especially for overseas companies to come to China and register in the FTZ, he said. 

Guidelines for local courts to set up an integrated working mechanism on lawsuits, mediation and arbitration of commercial cases related to foreign affairs have also been released.

A number of proposals have been submitted to the CPPCC sessions in Shanghai to further improve the details of an implementation plan released by the city early this month on developing a world leading environment for business.