China makes solid strides in international civil and commercial judicial assistance

Since 2023, China has achieved remarkable progress in international civil and commercial judicial assistance. By adopting a holistic approach that coordinates domestic law-based governance and the development of foreign-related rule of law, China's Ministry of Justice (MOJ) has earnestly fulfilled its role as the central authority for such assistance, driving leapfrog advances in the field.

International civil and commercial judicial assistance refers to a cooperative mechanism through which judicial bodies of one country support their counterparts in another in litigation-related activities, including the service of judicial documents, investigations and evidence collection, and the recognition and enforcement of foreign civil judgments. This mechanism serves not only as a legal instrument to protect the legitimate rights and interests of parties involved, but also as an important practice in upholding multilateralism and the international rule of law.

Over the past four decades, China's civil and commercial judicial assistance system has developed steadily. From its initial establishment to standardized development, and from case-by-case cooperation to mechanism-based collaboration, China has gradually built a multi-tiered cooperation system underpinned by bilateral treaties and international conventions. This provides a solid guarantee for the country's high-level opening-up, cross-border trade and exchanges, and global rule-of-law cooperation.

On the domestic legislative front, laws and regulations such as the Civil Code, the Civil Procedure Law, the Data Security Law, the Personal Information Protection Law, and the Arbitration Law offer clear legal bases and standardized procedures for judicial assistance.

Internationally, China has signed bilateral civil and commercial judicial assistance treaties with 41 countries. Treaties with countries including Russia, Vietnam, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia have successively entered into force, bringing the total number of treaties in force to 40.

As an official member of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH), China fulfills its commitments under the Hague Service Convention and the Hague Evidence Convention, with its multilateral mechanisms becoming more sophisticated. The MOJ, as China's central authority in this field, undertakes overall coordination and standardized operations to ensure the accurate and full implementation of international treaties.

In recent years, the country's volume of judicial assistance cases has grown steadily, rising from 3,774 in 2024 to 4,209 in 2025. These cases span diverse areas such as contracts, intellectual property rights, and marriage and family affairs, meeting the practical needs of cross-border trade and personnel exchanges. Judicial assistance covers the full litigation process, from service of documents to enforcement of judgments.

China has maintained cooperation with partners worldwide, frequently collaborating with countries such as the United States, Russia, Vietnam, and France. Cooperation with neighboring countries has strengthened noticeably, creating synergy between judicial assistance and regional development.

The Judicial Assistance Exchange Center under the MOJ conducts rigorous, law-based review of every request, steadfastly safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and development interests. Upholding a people-centered approach, the center responds to thousands of international inquiries each year and takes proactive steps to assist enterprises in overcoming legal difficulties.

To address issues such as cross-border data transfer and unilateral service of process, the center actively issues legal opinions and coordinates domestic and foreign channels to help Chinese-funded banks, State-owned enterprises and other market entities mitigate legal risks and safeguard their legitimate rights and interests overseas, gaining widespread praise from businesses and society.

Moreover, China actively engages in the HCCH mechanism, sharing practical experience and contributing Chinese wisdom at multilateral forums such as the Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting and treaty compliance reviews. Regular bilateral discussions and video consultations with central authorities of countries such as Russia, France, Germany, Vietnam, and Uzbekistan have helped build consensus and deepen partnerships.

The country has also advanced the information-based development of  judicial assistance, optimized case handling procedures, and enhanced transparency and convenience. These efforts have been positively acknowledged by the HCCH, demonstrating China's commitment as a responsible major country in honoring its international treaty obligations.

Moving forward on the new journey in the new era, China will continue to improve its civil and commercial judicial assistance system, deepen digital empowerment, and expand international cooperation. These efforts will further support the country's high-level opening-up and high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, contributing to the improvement of the international legal order and the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.