Brunei Darussalam Supreme Court Chief Justice Dato Seri Paduka Steven Chong reaffirmed Brunei’s commitment to deepening judicial ties with China during a recent visit commemorating the 20th anniversary of the memorandum of cooperation (MoC) signed between the Supreme Court of Brunei Darussalam and the Supreme People’s Court of China.

“Our partnership has the potential to yield significant benefits for both our nations,” Dato Seri Paduka Steven Chong said during the visit.

“By working together, we can provide more effective judicial services, ensuring that our judicial systems contribute to the development and prosperity of Brunei Darussalam and China.”

He emphasised that maintaining frequent exchanges and future collaborations would help both judiciaries deliver efficient services to support shared prosperity and development.

The chief justice led a delegation of senior judicial officers at the invitation of the Supreme People’s Court of China. His visit was aimed at enhancing bilateral exchanges and judicial cooperation.

Dato Seri Paduka Steven Chong met with Chief Justice of China and President of the Supreme People’s Court of China Zhang Jun and highlighted the significance of the MoC signed in 2004, which symbolises the long-standing relations between Brunei and China.

Both chief justices expressed interest in renewing the agreement through a memorandum of understanding, particularly focusing on judicial education, training, alternative dispute resolution, and the application of technology in courts.

Ambassador of Brunei Darussalam to China Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Pahlawan Colonel (Rtd) Dato Paduka Haji Abdu’r Rahmani bin Dato Paduka Haji Basir also attended the meeting.

While in Beijing, Dato Seri Paduka Steven Chong and his delegation visited key judicial institutions, including the Smart Court Laboratory at the Supreme People’s Court, the Beijing International Commercial Court, the Beijing Internet Court and the Mediation Centre of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.

The delegation’s visit extended to Shanghai, where Dato Seri Paduka Steven Chong met President of the Shanghai High People’s Court Jia Yu.

Discussions centred around advancements in court technology and artificial intelligence, with a focus on how these innovations have been integrated into Shanghai’s litigation and dispute resolution processes.

Dato Seri Paduka Steven Chong expressed interest in learning from Shanghai’s best practices in managing commercial and financial disputes.

While in Shanghai, the delegation also visited the Shanghai High People’s Court, where they were briefed on the development of the Digital Court, as well as the Shanghai Financial Court and the Shanghai Commercial Mediation Centre.

As part of the visit, the Supreme Court of Brunei Darussalam sent congratulatory messages ahead of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, expressing hopes for continued collaboration between the two courts.

Dato Seri Paduka Steven Chong also thanked the Embassy of China in Brunei Darussalam for facilitating knowledge-sharing between the two judiciaries. – Fadley Faisal