The opening ceremony of the Fourth Forum of the MSRCLD takes place. [Photo by Lin Yuyang for chinadaily.com.cn]

The two-day Fourth Forum of the Maritime Silk Road Central Legal District, or MSRCLD opened on Sept 7 in Xiamen, East China's Fujian province.

It's running alongside the 24th China International Fair for Investment & Trade or CIFIT in Xiamen, which takes place from Sept 8 to 11.

Under the theme of "Legal Protection for Reform, Stronger Development through Openness – In–Depth Integration into the Belt and Road Initiative through the Development of the MSRCLD", participants from a raft of backgrounds are engaging in wide-ranging discussions.

The forum features four subtopics including "Collaboration and Innovation in International Commercial and Maritime Affairs Resolution Mechanisms" and "Deepening Reform through Digitalization to Drive Modernization of Political and Legal Work".

Additionally, model cases of legal services under the BRI in 2024 and the Top 10 Achievements of the MSRCLD for 2024 were also announced.

The launch of the Taiwan Related Public Legal Service Center of the MSRCLD, the Procuratorial Service Center of the MSRCLD and the Xiamen Court of International Arbitration take place during the event. [Photo by Lin Yuyang for chinadaily.com.cn]

A major highlight of the opening ceremony was the inauguration of the Taiwan Related Public Legal Service Center of the MSRCLD, as well as that of the Procuratorial Service Center of the MSRCLD and the Xiamen Court of International Arbitration.

Fujian, the eastern starting point of the ancient Maritime Silk Road (MSR), now serves as the core area of the 21st-Century MSR.

Since the inception of the MSRCLD, it has played a crucial role in aligning itself with the Belt and Road Initiative and shaping a legally empowered Fujian.

Continuing its efforts, Fujian is refining its mechanisms for collaboration and cooperation, bolstering legal partnerships with countries and regions involved in the BRI and advancing a comprehensive legal ecosystem.

Overall, the province is aiming to consolidate its status as a premier destination for foreign legal services, establishing a seamless, all-encompassing legal support ecosystem.