Thanks to the application of technology to the judicial system, courts have become smarter over the past five years, making it easier for litigants to access to legal services, a report released by China's top court stated.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020, courts have filed some 29.96 million cases and exchanged evidence 8.19 million times online, according to the report, which was submitted by the Supreme People's Court to the ongoing first session of the 14th National People's Congress, China's top legislature for review on Tuesday.

During the epidemic, courts heard 5.04 million disputes online to fully protect the right to litigation, the report said.

While making use of technology in the judiciary, the top court has also issued rules on online litigation, mediation and operation, to regulate judicial behavior in cyberspace.

Additionally, three internet courts have been established in Beijing, Hangzhou in Zhejiang province, and Guangzhou in Guangdong province, over the past five years, helping shorten the time for case hearings and improving judicial efficiency, it added.