The Chief Magistrate of Papua New Guinea and Board Member of the Papua New Guinea Centre for Judicial Excellence, His Worship Mark Pupaka, has commended the People’s Republic of China for hosting the 2025 Seminar for Judges from South Pacific Island Countries, describing the judicial exchange programme as insightful, educational, and transformative.
Speaking on behalf of the Papua New Guinea participants at the closing ceremony, Chief Magistrate Pupaka expressed the delegation’s sincere appreciation to the Government and people of China for their hospitality and for delivering a highly informative two-week program that deepened participants’ understanding of China’s legal system, judicial reforms, culture, and modernization efforts.
“On behalf of the Papua New Guinea participants, I wish to express our heartfelt gratitude to the People’s Republic of China and everyone who contributed to making our stay and participation in this seminar both memorable and rewarding,” Chief Magistrate Pupaka said.
The seminar brought together judicial officers from across the South Pacific region and featured presentations by senior members of China’s judiciary, court visits, discussions on legal and judicial reforms, and cultural exchange activities in Beijing, Taiyuan, and Datong.
Chief Magistrate Pupaka said the Papua New Guinea delegation arrived in China with limited knowledge of the Chinese legal system but returned home with a far greater appreciation of its structure, operations, and achievements.
“We were impressed by the inclusiveness of China’s court system, the role of assessors in judicial decision-making, and the extensive use of mediation as a means of resolving disputes. Learning that millions of cases are successfully resolved through mediation each year demonstrates China’s leadership in this area and offers valuable lessons for other jurisdictions,” he said.
The Chief Magistrate noted that participants gained significant insights into the structure of China’s courts, including the Local People’s Courts, Intermediate People’s Courts, Higher People’s Courts, Supreme People’s Court, and various specialised courts that address
contemporary challenges such as intellectual property disputes, environmental matters, financial conflicts, maritime issues, and internet-related cases.
He also commended China’s commitment to modernization through the rule of law while preserving its rich cultural heritage and environmental values.
“As Pacific Islanders, we place great importance on culture and community. Throughout this seminar, we saw similar values reflected in Chinese society. This shared respect for cultural heritage helped build meaningful relationships and mutual understanding among participants,” Chief Magistrate Pupaka said.
The Papua New Guinea delegation thanked the President of the National Judges College, Mr Li Chengyu, Vice President Professor Wang Xiaofang, seminar presenters, court officials, interpreters, guides, and support staff whose dedication contributed to the success of the program.
Chief Magistrate Pupaka also acknowledged the Chief Justices and judicial leaders from participating countries for facilitating the attendance of judicial officers at the seminar and thanked the Chinese Government for providing what he described as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience China firsthand.
“The friendships we have formed, the knowledge we have gained, and the experiences we have shared will remain with us for many years. Our understanding of China has been greatly enriched, and we leave with a deeper appreciation of the Chinese people and their achievements,” he said.
The participation of Papua New Guinea judicial officers in the seminar reflects the Judiciary’s ongoing commitment to international cooperation, judicial education, and strengthening professional relationships with regional and global judicial partners.