On May 28, the Shanghai Third Intermediate People's Court held "Court Hearing Observation and Exchange Seminar" at the Hongkou District People's Court, aiming to further encourage heads of administrative organs appearing in court to respond to lawsuits and to advance the substantive resolution of administrative disputes. Jia Yu, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and President of the Shanghai High People's Court (SHPC), and Lv Ming, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Hongkou District Committee and Mayor of the District of Hongkou (Shanghai), attended the event. Xi Jianlin, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and President of the Shanghai Third Intermediate People's Court; Cao Jie, Member of the Party Leadership Group and Vice President of the Shanghai High People's Court; Sheng Qiang, Deputy Director of the General Office of the Shanghai Municipal People¡¯s Government; Xuan Yizhou, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Hongkou District Committee and Secretary of Political and Legal Affairs Commission; Ye Weiwei, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Acting President of the Hongkou District People¡¯s Court; Sun Xiaofang, Deputy to the Shanghai Municipal People¡¯s Congress; and Du Yifang, Vice Dean of the Fudan University Law School, attended the event. Heads of various commissions, offices, bureaus, and sub-districts in Hongkou District, as well as some judicial officers from the Administrative Tribunal of the Shanghai Third Intermediate People's Court, attended the event.

President Jia Yu pointed out that administrative trials are directly related to the public's trust in the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the government, and their confidence in socialist rule of law. To further promote heads of administrative organs appearing in court to respond to lawsuits and advance the substantive resolution of administrative disputes, President Jia Yu emphasized the following: First, it is essential to build broad consensus and promote full coverage of court appearances by heads of administrative organs across a wider scope. Under the Administrative Procedure Law, such appearances are a statutory obligation of chief administrative officers. Administrative leaders at all levels in the city should appear in court whenever required. Second, reform and innovation should be further advanced to promote the substantive resolution of administrative disputes at a higher level. Efforts should be made to deepen diversified dispute resolution mechanisms, make full use of new AI technologies, and leverage digital reforms to enhance the effectiveness of administrative dispute resolution. Third, local strengths should be leveraged to achieve full coverage of circuit trials across more areas. Circuit trials should contribute to building a law-based government and society, promote law-based administration at the grassroots level, and consolidate the foundation for building a law-based government.

The case publicly heard concerned a dispute in which the plaintiff, Shi, challenged the government information disclosure notice and the administrative reconsideration decision issued by the Shanghai Hongkou District People¡¯s Government and the Shanghai Municipal People¡¯s Government. Xi Jianlin presided over the trial as the Presiding Judge, and Lv Ming, as the head of the Hongkou District People¡¯s Government, appeared in court to respond on behalf of the administrative organ.

After the hearing, District Mayor Lv Ming and President Xi Jianlin jointly inaugurated the circuit tribunal of the Shanghai Third Intermediate People's Court (North Bund). The establishment of this circuit tribunal aims to fully leverage the significant role of circuit trials in supporting grassroots governance, and further advance law-based administration and the on-site resolution of disputes.