On the afternoon of 19 March 2019, a delegation of Haikou Maritime Court visited Hainan University to discuss matters such as closer cooperation in judicial practices and theoretic research as well as the building of an international trial team. The delegation was led by Xu Yahui, secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group, and Jian Wancheng, vice president of the court.

At the meeting, both parties introduced their respective condition and the opportunities and challenges they were facing. They analyzed their strengths and needs, and explored the prospects for cooperation with complementary resources for mutual benefit. The open and amicable discussions led to a series of productive preliminary consensus and set a good foundation for the comprehensive and material cooperation between Haikou Maritime Court and Hainan University.

The first consensus was on cooperation in research. Common efforts would be made in research, taking advantage of the strengths of relevant disciplines of Hainan University in research and relying on platforms such as the South China Sea Legal Forum and the South China Sea Areas Cooperation Forum. This would provide further intelligent support for foreign-related maritime justice and contribute innovative and forward-looking research findings to the country’s Belt and Road Initiative, the building of a maritime power province, as well as the rights protection and peace-keeping in the South China Sea.

The second consensus was on education and training. Abiding by the combination of the “going out” and “bringing in” strategies, the court would work with Hainan University to set up a judge training platform integrating commissioned training, themed lectures, essay instruction and other means. Experts and scholars would be invited to systematically train the judges, court staff, and judicial personnel in order to cultivate elite judges and build an international trial team for the court.

The third consensus was on cooperation in setting up a legal talent training base. A maritime legal education and practice base would be established to provide postgraduates in international law, maritime law and relevant majors from Hainan University and other colleges and universities across the country with opportunities for fieldwork and internship. Multiple means of support would be provided for legal practices and education. For example, students would have the chance to be present at court hearings and simulate court hearings, and outstanding judges would be appointed as mentors in the students’ fieldwork.

The fourth consensus was on setting up an information sharing system. The court would provide Hainan University with cases and empirical analyzes, whereas Hainan University would provide legal theories to support the court in solving practical issues and helped the court ascertain foreign laws when trying foreign-related cases. Such communication and exchanges would improve the court’s judicial competency.