On the afternoon of 1 September, a research delegation of the Standing Committee of Haikou City People's Congress visited Haikou Maritime Court for research and guidance. The delegation was led by Han Yingwei, secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group and director of the standing committee of Haikou City People’s Congress. Participating the research were Jie Xiaoqiang, member of the Leading Party Members' Group and deputy director of the standing committee of Haikou City People’s Congress, Xu Yahui, secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group and president of Haikou Maritime Court, Li Qing, secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group and president of Haikou Intermediate People’s Court, and Li Cheng, deputy secretary of the Leading Party’s Members’ Group and deputy chief procurator of Haikou City People's Procuratorate.

The research delegation did a tour of the court, including the litigation service centre, internet court, court history museum, criminal trial court, C4 command centre, innovation team office, and the library. They learnt about major information including the court’s informatization progress and scope of duties, and highly approved the court’s culture.

After the tour, the research delegation and the leadership and division heads of the court had a meeting. President Xu Yahui gave a brief introduction of the court and reported on the key works done by the court over the past few years, focusing on eight aspects such as raising political awareness, protecting the country’s maritime rights, supporting the building of Hainan free trade port, and improving marine environmental protection. He also outlined a plan for future works.

Director Han Yingwei fully recognized the works carried out by Haikou Maritime Court in recent years, and made six suggestions about facilitating future works:

First, raising political awareness and improving strategic thinking skills. We should fully recognize the significance of maritime trials in protecting the country’s sovereignty over territorial seas and maritime rights, take up the duty to guard the country’s southern gate, and play an increasing role in supporting the Opening-up and building of the free trade port.

Second, adopting a people-oriented approach and ensuring fairness and justice for the people in every legal case. A people-oriented approach should be adopted in carrying out trial and enforcement works, and the people’s concerns should always be taken into account in maritime trials. We should listen to the people’s appeals and respond to their expectations, and take their satisfaction as a fundamental criterion for examining our work achievements.

Third, carrying out works in support of the bigger picture of the Party and the country. We should continue to carry through the spirit of the “13 April” keynote speech delivered by General Secretary Xi Jinping and that of No. 12 Document of the Central Committee, profoundly implement innovation-driven development, and explore and promote the “3 in 1” maritime trial reform. We should set accurate goals for high-quality development, give full play to our maritime trial function, and take up the responsibilities of creating a law-governing business environment, a stable and orderly social environment, and a fair and efficient legal environment.

Fourth, giving play to our maritime trial feature in support of the building of Hainan free trade port. Relying on our feature as a “ specialized court”, we should duly and properly handle disputes over international vessel registration, shipping finance, supply of bonded oil and other disputes arising in relation to the free trade port. We would offer legal support for the building of “Yangpu Port, China” as a port of registry. Adhering to high standards and requirements for creating a law-governing, international and convenient business environment, we should duly, fairly and efficiently try foreign-related maritime disputes, protect the lawful rights and interests of domestic and foreign litigants equally, and consistently improve the international credibility of maritime justice. All these efforts will contribute to the creation of a world-class business environment in Hainan free trade port.

Fifth, enhancing judicial transparency and being subject to the supervision of the People's Congress. The supervision of the People's Congress should be taken as an important means to improve maritime courts’ works. Positive interactions between the People’s Congress and maritime courts should be strengthened to join force. We should be subject to the People’s Congress’s supervision and actively seek its support so as to facilitate new development in our works.

Sixth, speeding up the smart court construction and continuously enhancing the quality and efficiency of trials. The unique functions and broad jurisdiction of maritime courts have posed higher requirements for the smart court construction. We should apply high information technology to various aspects such as judicial trials, judicial transparency, and convenience for the people, thereby providing efficient and convenient legal services for the people and facilitating case handling by judges.

Xu Yahui said that the court would seriously fulfil the requirements posed by director Han Yingwei and implement the suggestions in all aspects of our works. Towards the goal of “centre-focused and dual-core driven”, the court would earnestly take up the duty of protecting the country’s maritime rights and promoting the building of Hainan free trade port. We would strive to be a domestic first-class court and an international influencer, and would make new contributions to support the country’s major development strategies.