“Deepening information construction is another reform in China’s judicial system”, said Zhou Qiang, president of China’s top court, when meeting his Portuguese counterpart on May 16 in Beijing.

Zhou extended his warm welcome to the Portuguese court delegation led by António Silva Henriques Gaspar.

Zhou said that the judicial system is “old and new”, emphasizing that it should both maintain its traditions and keep abreast of the times.

Broadening IT applications is “l(fā)ending wings to the judicial work”, Zhou noted.

Courts of various levels in China are turning themselves into “Smart Courts” to better serve the people and judges.

As information construction in the legal system proceeds, especially through better processing of judicial documents and information, a more dynamic, transparent and efficient judicial system emerges.

China will spare no effort to solve access of information problems in the rule of law and build a judicial system with Chinese characteristics, according to Zhou.

Gaspar echoed Zhou as he outlined Portuguese legal reforms and expressed his desire for closer cooperation in the law between the two countries.

A memorandum of understanding was also signed between the two sides.