A mediation room is established by Beijing Shijingshan District People's Court in Qian'an, Hebei province, to help resolve disputes related to the mining area of Shougang Group, one of China's largest steelmakers. [Liu Yang / for chinadaily.com.cn]
A mediation room established by a Beijing court has recently been launched in Hebei province, aiming to provide more convenient judicial services for workers and their families in the mining area of Shougang Group, one of China's largest steelmakers and industrial conglomerates.
The group's mining area in Qian'an, Hebei, is located about 200 kilometers east of Beijing. Many employees and their families live around the mining complex, and for decades they faced difficulties accessing court services because of the long distance from the capital, which has jurisdiction over certain disputes.
The mediation room is based in Qian'an, while the mediation process is fully guided online by judges from the Shijingshan District People's Court. The initiative aims to resolve frequent disputes involving marriage, family, labor and small-sum loans among workers and their families in the mining area at the source.
Before the judicial move, the Shijingshan court had arranged for judges to visit the mining area regularly to offer legal services since 1991. The newly established mediation room is intended not only to give mining workers easier access to court services, but also to improve judicial efficiency by reducing travel time and costs for judges, allowing them to provide professional legal analysis and remote guidance for mediators in Qian'an.
Judges mediate disputes and introduce law knowledge in the mining area of Shougang Group in Qian'an, Hebei province. [Cao Dong / for chinadaily.com.cn]
In addition to the online service, the court said it will conduct on-site visits and provide support to the mining area every quarter, while also offering regular training sessions for local mediators.
To further advance development of the mediation room, An Hui, president of the Shijingshan court, held a seminar with staff members from the mining area's community committee and the mining company, as well as mediators. They exchanged views on grassroots governance and legal services, pledging to jointly ensure the long-term and smooth operation of the mediation mechanism and strengthen dispute prevention.
Sun Ping'an, assistant general manager of Shougang's mining company, highlighted the significance of the mediation room, saying it will help meet the judicial needs of local residents, enhance public legal awareness, and play a crucial role in maintaining production order and protecting workers' legitimate rights and interests.
Earlier, the Shijingshan court and a court in Qian'an established a collaboration office through which they have conducted legal training and held more than 30 consultations on difficult or complex legal issues.
Judges from Beijing Shijingshan District People's Court provide law training in the mining area of Shougang Group in Qian'an, Hebei province, to help enhance the public's legal awareness. [Cao Dong / for chinadaily.com.cn]
