On the evening of July 2,2021(GMT+8), the Opening Ceremony for "Seminar on Capacity Improvement of Benin’s Judicial Personnel " hosted by Ministry of Commerce and organized by MOFCOM Training Base for International Business Officials (Shanghai) was held online. Mr. Chen Runyun, Vice President of Academy for International Business Officials,MOFCOM, Ms. Duan Weihua,Deputy Director of 2nd Project Management Division of Academy for International Business Officials, MOFCOM,Mr. Zhang Bohui, Counselor of Economic and Commercial Office of the Chinese Embassy in Benin, Ms. He Ying, Vice President of Shanghai Business School, and Mr. Chen Wei, Executive Vice Dean of the College of International Education of SBS attended the opening ceremony.
(Main Site of the Online Opening Ceremony)
Mr. Chen Runyun pointed out that in recent years, the Chinese government has made effective explorations in judicial system reform with a positive and pragmatic attitude. At the same time, China is also actively participating in judicial cooperation globally, especially between China and Africa. He said that this seminar is a pragmatic measure for China and Benin to improve the capacity of judicial personnel under the construction of The Belt and Road Initiative, and to improve the political literacy and professional level of the judicial administrative cadres. By sharing China’s development history and experience in judicial system reform with Benin, this seminar helped Benin’s judicial personnel improve their law enforcement capabilities, promoted the scientific, standardized, and procedural administrative law enforcement, and helped the further development of China- Benin cooperation in the post-epidemic era.
(Speech by Vice President Chen Runyun)
Mr. Zhang Bohui participated in the opening ceremony on behalf of Ambassador Peng Jingtao. He said that the cooperation between the two countries covers a wide range of fields. Since the inauguration of President Patrice Talon in April 2017, Benin has entered a new development that has never been experienced since independence, and China is willing to accompany it in the whole process. He hoped that this seminar could become a platform to share China's experience in the judicial field since the reform and opening up, enhance the development of bilateral relations, thereby create more economic and social miracles for both countries.
(Speech by Counselor Zhang Bohui)
Ms. He Ying said that The Belt and Road Initiative has changed from a vision to a reality, and the fruitful results have benefited the world. It has brought new opportunities for the development of China-Benin relations. With the increasingly close economic and trade exchanges between the two countries, the judicial cooperation needs are also expanding. Under the framework of The Belt and Road Initiative, China is willing to share the experience in the judicial field with Benin, work hand in hand to advance the reform of the judicial system, improve the power restriction and supervision mechanism, protect the legitimate rights and interests of citizens, maintain social harmony and stability, and continue to promote the rule of law in all work.
Mr. Wilfried Alaba, Director of the Division of Documents and Research of the Supreme Court of Benin, delivered a speech on behalf of all the trainees. He said that the Supreme Court of Benin and the Supreme People’s Court of China have begun to establish cooperation and exchanges since 2016. This seminar will be a new example of cooperation between the two countries. He thanked China for its efforts and hoped to learn from this seminar the advanced experience in China's judicial field.
(Speech by Director Wilfried Alaba)
This seminar is the first online bilateral foreign aid training project held by our university under the epidemic. The seminar lasts for 21 days, and until now, 16 government officials from Benin High Court, Cotonou Commercial Court, Nadi Tengu First Instance Court, and Jugu City Second Court of First Instance have participated.
Written by: Guan Rui
Photographed by: Li Zheng
Reviewed by: Chen Wei