Zhang Jie, a deputy to the National People's Congress, was invited to audit an online trialheld by the Fifth Intermediate People’s Court of Chongqing over an insurance dispute using only his mobile phone on March 31. The trial was held without the parties appearing in court to avoid travel and reduce the risk of the epidemic.

Zhang learned that since the beginning of 2020, courts across Chongqing have formally heard cases via the internet, drawing on the city’s smart court platform to provide a series of online litigation services.

He encouraged courts nationwide to take epidemic prevention and control as an opportunity to speed up the building of their smart court platforms. He also put forward the following suggestions:

First, courts at all levels should funnel more human, material and financial resources into the development of high-efficient online litigation systems that can meet people’s needs for judicial services.

Second, courts should make full use of new media forms to publicize the advantages and increase the use of online litigation.

Third, courts at all levels should strictly implement the regulations on online litigation specified by the Supreme People's Court (SPC), further standardize the practice of online identity authentication, and ensure the authenticity of the identities of litigation parties.

Fourth, courts at all levels should try hard to promote online mediation in order to resolve conflicts and disputes during the period of epidemic prevention and control.

Fifth, courts should further strengthen relevant training to improve the ability of judicial personnel to carry out online litigation for people’s convenience and benefit.