More than 60 judges and legal experts from China and the United States started a four-day judicial mediation exchange program on Wednesday to promote mutual understanding in the field.

The seminar was held in the Jilin Procurators Training College in Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province. It attracted 13 judges and scholars from Massachusetts Superior Court, Harvard University and University of Massachusetts and 50 Chinese experts.

The exchange focused on the history of the two countries' mediation systems, cultural effects on them, their procedures, skills and social effects, said Liu Yang, vice chairman of the China Law Society.

"The exchange activities will deepen mutual understanding and enhance cooperation in law education and study," said Liu.

Wendie Gershengorn, a Massachusetts Superior Court judge, said: "It (the seminar) is to collaborate and share ideas on judicial mediation."

"We know that China has a long history of mediation and the United States has developed our own kind of mediation." she said. "We think we would benefit by sharing the two countries' best practices."

The exchange was organized by the China Law Society and the American Bar Association.

(Xinhua News Agency June 17, 2009)