Finland to help China develop rule of law

Minister of Justice Antti Häkkänen on Thursday offered Finland’s support to China in developing the rule of law and enhancing respect for human rights in Chinese judicial attitudes.

“China is one of the key players in the global arena and their judicial attitudes are reflected in the international politics. Finland is engaged in close judicial cooperation with China. It is our objective to support the rule of law’s development in China and to enhance respect for human rights in Chinese judicial attitudes,” Häkkänen said at a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Zhang Jun in Beijing.

The ministers in the meeting discussed human rights, independence of the court, the rights of lawyers, and bilateral judicial cooperation, among other things, said an official press release. Judicial cooperation between the countries is focused on supporting China’s priorities of any given time.

The most important forms of cooperation have been bilateral expert seminars and visits that have resulted in issuance of significant development recommendations on crime prevention, legal aid, position of lawyers and criminal sanctions.

During the meeting, the Finnish minister brought up the issue of human rights situation in China and the key role that lawyers play in securing access to justice for all. He said, “We are concerned about the arrests and other treatment of lawyers in China. In a state governed by the rule of law, lawyers have a central role and they must be able to carry out their duties in accordance with their rights.”

Raising the issues of counter-terrorism and promotion of human rights, Häkkänen said, “Security must not be used as an excuse for violating human rights. For example, any new technologies and surveillance methods introduced must be in harmony with human rights.”

He stressed that a reliable judicial system is also a requirement for business activities, saying, “Independence of courts and protection of intellectual property rights are among topics that companies are concerned about. A reliable judicial environment is a key prerequisite for economic growth.”