China's top court has launched a major initiative to prioritize collaborative mediation over litigation to resolve social and commercial disputes.

The guidelines released on Jan.30 by the Supreme People's Court call for stronger collaborative mediation to resolve disputes, aiming to boost public welfare, maintain social stability and safeguard long-term national peace. By partnering with 20 institutions, including the People's Bank of China, the All-China Women's Federation and the China National Intellectual Property Administration, the court aims to catch and resolve conflicts - ranging from real estate and labor to marriage and intellectual property - before they ever reach a judge. The guidelines encourage departments to regularly monitor and issue risk alerts for potential conflicts in key areas such as finance, labor, intellectual property, and to make every effort to resolve disputes through mediation before they escalate into litigation or arbitration.

                                                                                                                                           Source . China Daily