Judicial communication and cooperation between China and Southeast Asian countries will help contribute to social security and economic prosperity in the region, judges at a legal forum said on Tuesday.

With the establishment of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area in 2002, business disputes and cross-border crimes, such as drug trafficking and smuggling, have been increasing, Zhou Qiang, president of China's top court, said at the opening ceremony of the China-ASEAN Justice Forum. This presents challenges for justice in these countries and also highlights the role of judicial cooperation, Zhou said.

The forum, held in Nanning in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, attractedabout 100 judicial officers, including presidents and chief judges, from Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia.

It is the first time that judicial workers at such a high level from each of the countries have discussed and shared legal opinions on reform, training of judges, and dispute resolution.

Zhou called for more judicial communication between the countries, saying it plays a key role in trade improvement and is helpful in fighting cross-border crime in the region.

"The better we make the judicial environment, the more business we will have and the more effective we will be at cracking down on crimes," he added.

Khamphane Sitthidampha, president of the People's Supreme Court of Laos, said the forum can help judges understand more about laws in each country and better reach judicial agreements on resolution of economic disputes and crime-fighting.

"How to guarantee social security and maintain justice are common topics and challenges for us, so I'm looking forward to hearing opinions from judges in different countries during the forum," he said.

Veerapol Tungsuwan, vice-president of the Supreme Court of Thailand, said that although the judicial systems and traditions in these countries differ, he doesn't think this will be an obstacle to reaching legal agreements.

"Judicial bodies are not onlookers. Instead, we should be participants," he said. The forum is a good start to strengthening judicial cooperation, he added.

Delegates from Brunei, Singapore and Cambodia also said they keep an eye on Chinese laws and judicial reforms, considering the country's judicial development to be an important element as they invest in China.

Li Xuan, deputy president of a judges' college in Guangxi, said the forum is also an effective way for Chinese judges to understand laws in neighboring countries.

"Guangxi courts have often heard disputes relating to the rubber trade and crimes of illegal marriage and drugs in the past few years," she said. "Agricultural and other investors from Southeast Asian countries are interested in related Chinese laws.

"More understanding of Chinese laws will make foreign investors confident of developing businesses, and reduce unnecessary disputes," she said.

Zeng Yan, president of Beihai Maritime Court, agreed with her, saying the forum is also a way to project a good image of the Chinese judicial system and increase its credibility.

"The discussions will help us to know about verdicts and judicial ideas from each country, and a fair judgment can avoid conflicts among these countries," she said. "Attention will also be paid to protection of women and children after we enhance awareness of human trafficking and illegal marriage during the forum."

caoyin@chinadaily.com.cn