On June 1, International Children's Day, the Supreme People's Court (SPC) held a public open day for students and teachers from Beijing No 2 Middle School and Beijing Jingshan School. Zhang Jun, president of the SPC, and Wang Jiayi, vice-minister of education, attended the event.

The Supreme People's Court (SPC) holds a public open day on International Children's Day for students and teachers from Beijing No 2 Middle School and Beijing Jingshan School on June 1, 2023. They hold a symposium on strengthening juvenile trial work as part of the day's agenda. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

At the symposium, deputies to the 14th National People's Congress, members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), legal scholars, juvenile legal aid practitioners, and educators fully acknowledged courts' work in protecting the legitimate rights and interests of minors, and put forward suggestions in response to new challenges.

Zhang Jun, president of the Supreme People's Court, attends the symposium. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

Zhang expressed his appreciation for the suggestions, and stressed the need to promote the implementation of the three-in-one juvenile trial mechanism for criminal, civil and administrative cases, and to intensify the protection of minors in trials of domestic matters. He urged courts nationwide to respond to issues related to civil and administrative trials, as well as law enforcement and judicial protection of minors in schools, society and cyberspace, and to work with public security and procuratorial organs to solidify the safety net for minors.

Wang Jiayi, vice-minister of education, attends the symposium. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

Wang noted that the Ministry of Education has worked closely with the SPC in recent years to guide local education departments to continually improve institutional mechanisms and jointly protect the physical and mental health of children and promote their comprehensive development. He raised suggestions to further deepen cooperation with the SPC to intensify the judicial protection of minors by severely cracking down on criminal acts that harm minors, doing a good job in assisting underage victims and rehabilitating juvenile delinquents, carrying out legal education in schools by fully leveraging the role of deputy principal in legal affairs, and intensifying legal education of the public through such means as making educational short videos and releasing typical cases.

Judges from the Beijing Haidian Primary People's Court present a moot court to the audience. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

After the symposium, judges from the Beijing Haidian Primary People's Court presented a moot court to the audience, sharing a story from a real case about a 16-year-old girl who had been engaged in bullying after being subject to domestic violence. She eventually found her way back with the help of judicial authorities.

Student representatives tie red scarves, a symbol of the Chinese Young Pioneers, around necks of the "big friends" at the event. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

Afterwards, student representatives tied red scarves, a symbol of the Chinese Young Pioneers, around necks of the "big friends" at the event, and Zhang interacted with the students and answered their questions. 

Zhang Jun, president of the Supreme People's Court, answers students' questions. [Photo/court.gov.cn]