Epidemic-related financial cases could rise, courts say

A cumulative 10 financial cases in relation to the COVID-19 epidemic outbreak have been accepted by courts in Shanghai, and the number of such cases may rise, the Shanghai Higher People's Court said on Friday.

Most cases so far have involved enterprises producing materials related to epidemic prevention, said Mao Ronghua, vice president of the Shanghai Higher People's Court, at a press briefing.

Cases, including those regarding loans and financial leasing, may increase over time under the influence of COIVD-19 as some enterprises are undergoing some difficulties in resuming production, and problems such as financial obligations may emerge, said Zhu Changyun, head of the tribunal of financial cases at the court.

The Supreme People's Court and the Shanghai Higher People's Court have released guidelines and questions and answers to local courts to ensure trials of such cases related to the COVID-19 epidemic abide by the same judicial standards, Zhu said.

The Shanghai court said it had introduced online court hearings starting in February to ensure cases were handled smoothly and quickly during the outbreak.

Also on Friday, the court said the number of financial cases accepted and concluded by courts in Shanghai last year reached more than 192,000 and 191,000 respectively, a year-on-year rise of around 13 percent.

The top three types of cases with the largest amount of money involved were those regarding disputes about loans, bank cards and financial leasing.