China Justice Observer

中司观察

EnglishArabicChinese (Simplified)DutchFrenchGermanHindiItalianJapaneseKoreanPortugueseRussianSpanishSwedishHebrewIndonesianVietnameseThaiTurkishMalay

Xiamen International Commercial Court Holds Its First Hearing

Mon, 31 Oct 2022
Categories: China Legal Trends

On 19 Sept. 2022, the Xiamen International Commercial Court (hereinafter the “Court”) held a public hearing for its first case.

It is a dispute over a real estate development contract. The plaintiff is a Philippine citizen, and the defendants are a Philippine-registered company and a Philippine citizen.

The Philippines, the country of the defendants, lies along the Maritime Silk Road of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Meanwhile, Fujian Province, where the Court is located, is regarded as the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road.

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Court, upon the application of both parties, held the hearing both online and offline. The plaintiff and defendants participated in the lawsuit online via the One-Step Judicial Service Platform of the Court, and the third parties were present in the courtroom.

The Court is the first international commercial court established in Fujian Province upon the approval of China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC). Before that, China had set up the First and Second International Commercial Courts within the SPC , and several international commercial courts within the local courts of Suzhou, Beijing, and Chengdu consecutively.

As a specialized court dealing with foreign-related commercial cases, the Court can exercise centralized jurisdiction over such actions within Xiamen.

See our earlier posts for more information on China’s international commercial courts.

 

Cover Photo by HONG on Unsplash

Contributors: CJO Staff Contributors Team

Save as PDF

You might also like

Beijing Passes Autonomous Vehicle Regulation

In December 2024, Beijing passed the "Beijing Autonomous Vehicle Regulation," effective April 1, 2025, to promote development and safety, allowing self-driving cars in taxis, buses, and more after rigorous testing.

SPC Revises Rules on Mainland China - Taiwan Judgment Recognition

China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) has amended regulations on the mutual recognition and enforcement of civil judgments between Mainland China and Taiwan, clarifying application procedures, exceptions, and jurisdictional conflicts, effective January 1, 2025.

China Establishes Shanghai International Commercial Court

The Shanghai International Commercial Court was established in December 2024 as a division of the Shanghai First Intermediate People’s Court, with exclusive jurisdiction over foreign-related commercial cases and arbitration judicial review, along with newly released jurisdictional regulations and model clauses.

SPC Issues Guiding Cases on Gig Worker Protection

In December 2024, China’s Supreme People’s Court issued its first guiding cases on gig worker labor disputes, clarifying criteria for determining employment relationships with platform companies.

China Amends Supervision Law to Strengthen Oversight

The newly amended Supervision Law of the People’s Republic of China, effective June 1, 2025, strengthens oversight, limits supervisory powers, and enhances protections for citizens' rights through standardized enforcement.