Chinese courts handled 23,340 cases of civil and commercial affairs involving overseas parties between 1979 and September 2001, Li Guoguang vice-president of the Supreme People's Court, said Saturday.
These cases are mainly related to disputes over contracts and infringement of rights, Li said in an interview with Xinhuanet.
In handling these cases, the courts have given equal treatment to domestic and overseas parties and effectively protected the interests of overseas parties, he said.
(Xinhua News Agency March 11, 2002)