Ningxia carries forward Fengqiao Experience in dispute resolution

Northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region has been carrying forward the Fengqiao Experience by incorporating dispute mediation into grassroots social governance in recent years, achieving desirable results. 

Building mediation network 

Over the past few years, Ningxia has persistently been building both offline and online mediation networks. So far, the region has established a four-level vertical network consisting of 3,860 people's mediation organizations that effectively reach every corner of the society. 

It also expanded the network horizontally by setting up 524 mediation organizations in such populous places as large and medium-sized enterprises, trade markets and migrant population neighborhoods. 

Meanwhile, it has added mediation to its online and hotline-based public legal services, making it more convenient for the public to settle their disputes. 

Streamlining workflow 

In an effort to improve its workflow, Ningxia's judicial department conducts a special dispute screening and resolution campaign every year, ensuring that over 95 percent of disputes can be addressed at the grassroots level. 

It has also shifted its focus from post-event mediation to prevention and early warning. Since the beginning of 2020, it has resolved over 70,000 disputes during over 50,000 reviews. 

To diversify dispute resolution channels, the department, on the one hand, established a coordination mechanism with public and judiciary organs. On the other hand, it actively brings in multiple legal professionals like lawyers and notaries. So far, it has opened 74 lawyer-operated mediation studios across the region. 

Joining forces 

In a comprehensive effort to enhance the efficacy and capability of urban and rural community governance, Ningxia has built a well-functioning legal counsel system, advanced the building of demonstration communities for promoting democracy and rule of law, and carried out various activities to disseminate legal knowledge in communities.