Chinese president Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the conference of presidents of the supreme courts of China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC), which opened on May 4 in Suzhou, Jiangsu province.

Themed “Judiciary in the Global Information Age”, the conference focused on judicial reform, judicial transparency, and the application of information technology in courts. It also touched upon alternative dispute resolution and the role of supreme courts in promotion of judicial efficiency and unification of judicial practices.

Xi said that the meeting will make great contributions to the deepening of China-CEEC relations, known as “16+1 cooperation”.

The “Belt and Road” Initiative has drawn the ties between China and the CEEC closer - in terms of trade and personal exchanges - and will advance international judicial cooperation, according to Xi.

He said China and the CEEC should, under the framework of “16 + 1 cooperation”, make full use of the opportunity to learn from each other in combating crimes and resolving disputes to build a favorable and orderly legal environment for “Belt and Road” construction and common development of China and the CEEC.