On 29th Feb. 2016, professor Baosheng Zhang, Co-Chair of the “2011 Plan” China Collaborative Innovation Center of Judicial Civilization (the Center), officially signed a Memorandum of Mutual Cooperation with Paulette Brown, the president of American Bar Association (ABA), aiming to affirm mutual commitment to working cooperatively to foster dialogue and exchange of knowledge and experience. In the past few years, ABA and CUPL, the leader of the Center, have engaged in several successful cooperative partnerships on legal topics, including criminal justice reform, environmental law, legal ethics and rural legal clinical programs, and supported legal professional trainings and legal aid work over the course of several years.

To further the mutual commitment, the Center and ABA have agreed to establish and maintain a long-term and collegial cooperative relationship to promote law exchanges between the Center and ABA in areas of mutual interest and in furtherance of our respective missions; enhance respective work to strengthen the legal profession and judiciary and promote justice; identify opportunities to conduct joint dialogue and exchange activities, including but not limited to study tours, joint research projects, seminars, and fellowship projects as resources permit; and share information, materials and publications on topics of interest to both parties on an ongoing basis.

In addition, this Memorandum of Mutual Cooperation is a great breakthrough in the Center contacting with the World Justice Project (WJP). ABA will apply for funding to support a cooperative project on the Center's China Justice Index. If the proposed project is funded, ABA and the Center will implement the following activities:

    a. ABA will help the Center edit the English translation of their annual report on the China Justice Index;

    b. ABA will help contact experts from the World Justice Project(WJP) and arrange for study exchanges between the WJP and the Center;

    c. ABA will help facilitate and fund the Center staff attendance at the WJP annual conference;

    d. ABA will work with the Center to conduct symposiums on topics relevant to the China Justice Index and invite experts from the WJP to attend.