From Oct.19th-21st, the symposium on “Family & Law”, co-hosted by the Research Centre of Family & Law, the Research Centre of Common Law & Comparative Law at BNU Law School and the Primary People’s Court of Xicheng District, was successfully held in Beijing Normal University. Under the theme of “Changing Society and Family Law”, this symposium attracted nearly one hundred participants, mainly including judicial practice departments from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Ministry of Justice, the Office of National Working Committee on Children and Women under State Council, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, the Supreme People’s Court. In addition, a number of legal experts and scholars from various local universities along with press editors and media journalists also attended this symposium.
The opening session of this symposium was presided over by Prof. Liang Yingxiu, CPC General Branch Secretary of BNU Law School. Prof. Xin Jie (Assistant Principal of Beijing Normal University), Chai Huiyong (Chief Justice of the Primary People’s Court of Xicheng District), and Prof. Lu Jianping (Dean of BNU Law School) delivered enthusiastic speeches respectively. On behalf of all faculty members and students in Beijing Normal University, Prof. Xin Jie expressed his sincere welcome to all the guests present and sent his best wishes for the success of this symposium. Chief Justice Chai Huiyong hoped that the symposium could help broaden our views, facilitate the development of adjudicative practice, and promote the upgrade of major construction. Professor Lu Jianping introduced recent achievements made by BNU Law School since its establishment and emphasized the academic importance and practical necessity of this symposium, with a significant focus on realizing the collaboration between universities and judicial practice departments.
Prof. Liang Yingxiu,CPC General Branch Secretary of BNU Law School delivers a speech.
Prof. Xin Jie, Assistant Principal of Beijing Normal University delivers a speech.
Chai Huiyong, Chief Justice of Primary People’s Court of Xicheng District delivers a speech.
Prof. Lu Jianping, Dean of BNU Law School delivers a speech.
For the purpose of enhancing the communication between theoretical research and judicial practice, improving law students’ practical capacity and enhancing the social extension of judicial function, the BNU Law School and the Primary People’s Court of Xicheng District reached an agreement on the establishment of practice bases. The unveiling ceremony was also held during the symposium, where Prof. Xin Jie and Chief Justice Chai Huiyong jointly initiated the establishment of the “JM Teaching Practice Base” and Prof. Lu Jianping and Wang Yuantian (Vice President of Primary People’s Court of Xicheng District) jointly initiated the establishment of the “Family Law Research Centre and Practice Base”.
The unveiling ceremony of the “JM Teaching Practice Base”
The unveiling ceremony of the “Family Law Research Centre and Practice Base”
The symposium formally began after the ceremony. Specifically, this symposium was divided into four themes, such as “Children Protection and Parental Obligations”, “Legal Issues of Family Property Relationships”, and “Family Law: Practices and Prospects”. All the guests exchanged opinions on children protection, family property, and other various key issues in the domain of family law. An atmosphere of enthusiasm dominated the whole symposium.
Theme I “Children Protection and Parental Obligations”
Theme Ⅱ Legal Issues of Family Property Relationships
Theme Ⅲ Family Law: Practices and Prospects
On the morning of Oct. 21st, under the host of Prof. Li Bin (Vice Dean of BNU Law School), the symposium entered into the section of thematic summary. As representatives of each section, Zhang Hanyu (Division Head of the Office of Procuratorial Work For Minors of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate), Liu Bingrong (Secondary Senior Judge of the Supreme People’s Court of Fujian Province), Zhang Gu (Professor from Zhejiang University) respectively summarized their views based on yesterday’s discussions. When the symposium came to the conclusion section, Long Yifei (Professor from Renmin Law School and the Executive Vice President of Marriage & Family Law Research Institute of China Law Society) delivered a speech about the issues of matrimonial property regime in the Marriage and Family chapter of Civil Code, and also made a detailed analysis of relevant institutional designs in the draft Civil Code. Wang Yuantian (Vice President of the Primary People’s Court of Xicheng District) praised this symposium for its rich content and highlighted topics. He also added that this symposium will have a far-reaching impact on strengthening the communication between theory and practice, exploring new approaches in family law adjudication, and improving the quality of major construction. Prof. Lin Yanqin (Director of the Family Law Research Centre at BNU Law School) delivered a summary speech. She suggested that the core of children protection is custody and the supervision of custody matters most; as the first person responsible for children protection, parents should fulfil their duty of guardianship; if parents are unable or incompetent to undertake their responsibilities, the government should take their place. At the same time, Prof. Lin also emphasized that further discussions need to be made on major issus, such as children property protection, the procedural guarantee of children’s substantive rights, and the judicial standards of the benefit maximization of children. This symposium generated a wide range of topics and in-depth discussions. It is expected that this symposium is able to make due contribution to the children protection and family relationships in China. Most importantly, we are looking forward to our next symposium.
Zhang Hanyu, Division Head of the Office of ProcuratorialWork For Minors of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate
Zhang Gu, Professor from Zhejiang University
Liu Bingrong, Secondary Senior Judge of the Supreme People’s Court of Fujian Province
Long Yifei, Professor from Renmin Law School
Wang Yuantian, Vice President of Primary People’s Court of Xicheng District
Lin Yanqin, Professor of BNU Law School
After the summary speech, the symposium initated the appointment ceremony of the Family Law Research Centre, where letters of appointment were awarded to Chief Justice Chai Huiyong, Secondary Senior Judge Liu Bingrong, Prof. Zhang Gu, Mr. Qi Bin (partner and lawyer of Beijing Jinmao Kaide law firm) and other nine specialists in the domain of family law theory and practice. Prof. Lu Jianping once again expressed his earnest appreciation to all the guests present. The Symposium on Family & Law thus smoothly came to an end.