英语新闻丨涉外案件增长近50%，最高法强调依法公正适用法律

Chinese courts have been urged to improve their adjudication over foreign-related cases by emphasizing fairness, impartiality, accessibility, efficiency and a people-centered approach, in a bid to strengthen judicial support for China's high-level opening-up.

中国法院被要求在审理涉外案件时更加注重公平、公正、便民、高效和以人民为中心的理念，以进一步强化司法对中国高水平对外开放的支撑作用。

The directive was issued by the Supreme People's Court, the country's top court, at a meeting on Monday. It coincided with the release of data showing that Chinese courts handled about 40,000 first-instance civil and commercial cases involving foreign elements in 2025, nearly 50 percent more than the previous year.
该指示由国家最高审判机关——最高人民法院在周一举行的一次会议上发布。与此同时公布的数据显示，2025年中国法院共受理约4万件涉外一审民商事案件，同比增加近50%。

As the number of foreign-related cases rises and legal demands grow more complex, the top court called on judges nationwide to uphold the principle of equal protection for both domestic and foreign litigants and to actively integrate mediation into litigation.
随着涉外案件数量不断增加、法律需求日益复杂，最高法要求全国法官坚持对中外当事人一视同仁的平等保护原则，并积极推动调解与诉讼的有机衔接。

"Courts across the country should resolve disputes involving intellectual property, foreign trade and investment, cross-border finance, as well as maritime and commercial matters in a fair and efficient manner, and work to make China a preferred venue for international IP, commercial and maritime dispute resolution," it said.
最高法指出，全国法院应当以公平、高效的方式审理涉及知识产权、对外贸易与投资、跨境金融以及海事和商事领域的纠纷，努力将中国打造为国际知识产权、商事和海事争端解决的优选地。

The SPC also urged deeper theoretical and practical exchanges with judicial institutions of countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, highlighting the need to fulfill treaty obligations, adhere to the principles of equality and reciprocity, and lawfully recognize and enforce foreign civil and commercial judgments and arbitral awards.
最高法还呼吁加强与共建“一带一路”国家司法机构在理论与实践层面的交流，强调应当履行条约义务，坚持平等互惠原则，依法承认和执行外国民商事判决及仲裁裁决。

"Providing lawful support for foreign judicial assistance requests reflects our confidence in the rule of law," it said.
最高法表示，依法支持外国司法协助请求，体现了中国对法治的自信。

The top court further emphasized the need to align more closely with high-standard international economic and trade rules as part of institutional opening-up.
最高法进一步强调，应作为制度型开放的重要内容，更加主动对接高标准国际经贸规则。

It also called for stronger legal research on new issues arising from island-wide special customs operations at the Hainan Free Trade Port, and urged judges to better integrate litigation with mediation and arbitration.
此外，最高法要求加强对海南自由贸易港全岛封关运作中出现的新情况、新问题的法律研究，并督促法官更好实现诉讼与调解、仲裁的衔接融合。

Data released on Monday showed that IP contract disputes rose by 30.4 percent in 2025, while cases involving IP ownership and infringement increased by 3.7 percent. "These figures demonstrate China's strong innovation momentum and reflect growing demand for high-quality judicial services," the court said.
周一发布的数据显示，2025年知识产权合同纠纷同比增长30.4%，涉及知识产权权属和侵权的案件增长3.7%。最高法表示，这些数据彰显了中国强劲的创新动能，也反映出社会对高质量司法服务需求的持续上升。

The SPC urged courts nationwide to adopt tougher measures, including the use of punitive damages, to clamp down on IP violations. The court also called for judicial research in emerging fields such as the digital economy and artificial intelligence to better address new legal challenges.
最高法要求全国法院采取包括适用惩罚性赔偿在内的更严厉措施，严厉打击知识产权侵权行为，同时加强对数字经济、人工智能等新兴领域的司法研究，以更好应对新型法律挑战。

In addition, Chinese courts were instructed to intensify efforts against acts that disrupt market order and infringe on trade secrets, with the aim of ensuring fair competition and promoting high-quality economic development.
此外，中国法院被要求加大对扰乱市场秩序、侵犯商业秘密等行为的打击力度，以保障公平竞争，推动经济高质量发展。

Criminal cases involving disruption of the socialist market economy order increased by 2.2 percent in 2025, while civil disputes related to unfair competition, including trade secret infringements and bid-rigging, rose by 10.6 percent, underscoring ongoing challenges in maintaining a fair and competitive market environment.
数据显示，2025年涉及破坏社会主义市场经济秩序的刑事案件同比增长2.2%，而包括侵犯商业秘密、串通投标在内的不正当竞争民事纠纷增长10.6%，凸显出维护公平、有序市场环境仍面临持续挑战。

foreign-related cases /ˈfɒrɪn rɪˈleɪtɪd ˈkeɪsɪz/
涉外案件

adjudication /əˌdʒuːdɪˈkeɪʃn/
审理；裁决

mediation /ˌmiːdiˈeɪʃn/
调解

arbitral awards /ˈɑːbɪtrəl əˈwɔːdz/
仲裁裁决

institutional opening-up /ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃənl ˈəʊpənɪŋ ʌp/
制度型开放

punitive damages /ˈpjuːnɪtɪv ˈdæmɪdʒɪz/
惩罚性赔偿