[Photo/VCG] Mainland courts are pledging to improve cross-Straits judicial exchanges, ensure equal protection for Taiwan litigants and offer them better legal services in hearings of Taiwan-related cases. The Supreme People's Court issued a 36-point guideline on Tuesday in which it highlighted the significance of guaranteeing Taiwan litigants' rights, and ordered all mainland courts to help solve their legal difficulties across the board, from case filing to hearing and final verdict delivery. It was the first time for the top court to issue such a comprehensive guideline to safeguard rights of Taiwan residents and its first rule for deepening cross-Straits development by regulating legal services. We hope the document will not only help courts on the mainland effectively process the increasing number of cases involving Taiwan individuals or enterprises but also prompt economic and cultural exchanges, said Jiang Qibo, director of the top court's research office. The guideline was created following a keynote speech by President Xi Jinping at a gathering in January to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Message to Compatriots in Taiwan, he said. In the guideline, mainland courts were told to strengthen property protections of Taiwan people and enterprises to ensure a favorable environment when they create a startup or make an investment in the mainland. Zhou Jiahai, deputy director of the research office, said that when a litigant from Taiwan is found to be at fault, We should be prudent and minimize the negative effects on their businesses when considering sealing up or freezing their property or barring them from leaving the mainland. When a Taiwan litigant is detained or monitored on the mainland, courts are required to inform family members within 24 hours, the guideline said. Jiang, the director, said, Specifying legal measures to regulate the handling of Taiwan-related cases is necessary because such disputes have been rising in mainland courts in the past decade. Figures released by the top court on Tuesday showed that more than 5,000 cases were filed annually on average in mainland courts involving litigants from Taiwan from 2008 to 2018, with the peak reaching 7,000 in 2012. To more efficiently resolve the disputes, the guideline ordered mainland courts, especially those handling a large number of such cases in Fujian, Guangdong and Jiangsu provinces, to set up a special website, hotline or social media account and establish a judge liaison office to provide high-quality legal services to Taiwan litigants. We welcome Taiwan residents from all walks of life, including legal professionals, to visit mainland courts and exchange judicial opinions, Zhou said. Also, a communication platform or internship opportunities will be offered to Taiwan youth who study on the mainland. The top court added it would go to grassroots courts on the mainland to check on enforcement of the guideline and ensure Taiwan litigants know about it. bracelets for a causexl silicone wristbandssilicone wristbands customcustom printed wristbands for eventscool rubber band bracelets with loom
A camera used to identify drivers or pedestrians who blew through red lights is pictured in Shenzhen city, South China's Guangdong province, April 23, 2018. [Photo/IC] Shenzhen is using facial recognition technology to identify traffic violators and levy fines as it builds toward its goal of being a smart city. Forty sets of surveillance devices, installed mainly at intersections with high traffic volume, officially lit up on Tuesday. The electronics police will pay special attention to people in certain industries - couriers, for example - as well as people who have had their driver's licenses revoked, according to the city's traffic police. Four types of violations - running a red light, failing to observe traffic signals, nonmotorized vehicles running on roads and driving without a license - will be closely monitored. A total of 58 cases related to jaywalking and 67 cases involving nonmotorized vehicles on roads were detected on the first day. The violators will be notified via text message and fined depending on the severity of the violation. The move is Shenzhen's latest push to make use of high technology in municipal governance. Earlier, the city had launched programs using facial recognition technology to regulate vehicles. With the rapid development of facial recognition technology, Shenzhen has achieved a breakthrough in expanding traffic regulation from only vehicles to pedestrians, said Xu Wei, head of Shenzhen's traffic police. The city plans to expand the surveillance network by adding at least 200 sets of facial recognition devices by the end of this year, he said. Shenzhen, which is home to a number of technology companies, such as Huawei, Tencent and DJI, has been taking efforts to integrate advanced technology into its traffic system. In April last year, the traffic police installed a set of surveillance cameras at a key intersection, using facial recognition technology to identify jaywalkers. Photos were compared with those in a police database. The pictures and personal information of the traffic violators were displayed on large LED screens at the intersection. Most people appear to embrace the move, saying it could reduce irregularities and promote social progress. The measure is a constraint to people who have little consciousness of traffic rules. In the long term, fewer people will violate the rules and our society will become better, said Lin Zhiwei, a 56-year-old Shenzhen resident. Some also raised concerns over the risk to privacy by displaying violators' information on a public screen. Displaying photos and information of violators publicly could lead to a problem with privacy. The authorities need to attach high importance to that, another Shenzhen resident said. Other Chinese cities are also using facial recognition technology. Last month, a suspect was arrested after being detected in a crowd of 60,000 people attending a music concert in Nanchang, Jiangxi province.
