Chongqing - The 6th China-ASEAN Legal Cooperation Forum is set to convene in Southwest China's Chongqing municipality on November 12, as a major event within the Fourth Inter-provincial Joint Conference on Consultation and Cooperation on the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor.

China has maintained its status as ASEAN's top trading partner for 15 consecutive years, while ASEAN has served as China's leading trading partner for four consecutive years. This enduring economic relationship has paved the way for the realization of the Belt and Road initiative's landmark projects and the expansion of humanistic exchanges.

Nearly 200 distinguished guests will participate in the forum, including representatives from government bodies, legislative and judicial organizations, academic institutions, the industrial and commercial sectors, lawyers' associations, arbitration bodies, and law firms from China, ASEAN, and South Asian countries.

High-level attendees will include over 10 prominent figures from the Cambodian Anti-Corruption Unit, Cambodian Ministry of Justice, Cambodian Human Rights Committee, Ministry of Public Security of Lao PDR, National Assembly of Lao PDR, and the Supreme Courts of Indonesia and Nepal.

Congratulatory letters were delivered from notable leaders, including Sunarto, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Indonesia, Keut Rith, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice of Cambodia, and Thidar Oo, Minister of Legal Affairs of Myanmar.

The China-ASEAN Legal Cooperation Forum, initiated by the China-ASEAN Legal Research Center and first held in Chongqing in 2019, aims to foster legal exchange, collaboration, and the development of rule of law expertise. Previous forums have addressed topics such as the integration of legal education, the modernization of rule of law practices in the digital economy, regional economic integration, and legal cooperation on the BRI.

The Fifth China-ASEAN Legal Cooperation Forum commenced in Chongqing on November 1, 2023. (Photo/Event organizer)

The China-ASEAN Law Research Center, established by the China Law Society, focuses on ASEAN law research and educational cooperation. The Secretariat of the center is based at the Southwest University of Political Science and Law (SWUPL), which manages its daily operations.

The forum has introduced numerous cooperative measures, including the development of legal guides, comprehensive databases, and the formation of legal service alliances. As a key platform for dialogue, it has strengthened collaboration between China and ASEAN's legal communities, promoting regional peace and prosperity, and reinforcing the BRI and regional rule of law efforts.