China’s top court is considering to provide legal services in English as lawsuits lodged by foreigners increase in number, China Daily reported.
According to the report, the move would help people filing disputes in cases that involve commerce, property and marriage.
Jiang Qibo, chief judge of the Case-Filing Tribunal at the Supreme People's Court, said that some courts have already established connections with translators to help foreigners file lawsuits in coastal areas, but more assistance is needed.
"It is necessary to establish an English lawsuit service platform nationwide, and we are considering this," Jiang said.
Ada Jen, an administrator at a Beijing international school who comes from the United States, noted the difficulty in resolving disputes, "because few resources about Chinese laws and legal procedures are translated into English."
"As I dealt with cases in China, I had to turn to educational institutions such as Peking University to interpret judicial documents," Jen said, adding that she is looking forward to have an English platform set up.
Jiang said that in two areas where foreign investment is increasing--the Pudong District of Shanghai and Yiwu in Zhejiang Province--the courts have taken measures to better serve litigants in English.
"These courts have built up an interpreter database to serve and guide foreigners who file cases. Judicial documents in English can be supplied for foreigners," Jiang said.
Some courts in these areas also provide legal services in Arabic, Jiang added.
"We'll study examples of serving foreigners from these courts and try to establish a unified lawsuit service platform in English and extend it across the country to satisfy foreign litigants promptly," Jiang said.
Jiang added that the idea is still being studied and would be put on the agenda for action.
Under Chinese laws, foreign litigants and citizens have the same rights in lawsuits if their disputes occur in China.
"Some foreigners or foreign enterprises in China have their own lawyers or legal consultants, who can communicate with courts in Chinese and know Chinese judicial culture," Jiang said. "I think this can help solve the problem, as the foreign judicial service platform cannot cover all regions."
Tian Lan, vice president of Hefei Intermediate People's Court in Anhui Province, said that the court can provide legal services in English as well as courts in areas where foreign-related cases are booming.
"If foreign litigants are without Chinese lawyers, volunteers from universities will guide them in filing cases. Meanwhile, some judges who have studied abroad can also help them when they are not busy hearing cases."
Zhang Haiqing, chief judge of the Hefei court's Case-Filing Tribunal, said that foreign litigants can first submit judicial material, including identity certificates, online, "and we'll file their case after verifying the documents."
"We'll add some English signs, brochures and guidelines to our court, making the legal procedures clearer," Zhang added.