BEIJING — A cross-region court and procuratorate were inaugurated in Beijing on Dec 30, the second following those established in Shanghai on Dec 28.

The new court and procuratorate are part of the country’s judicial reform to reduce the interference of local governments on the administrative litigation cases.

The Beijing No 4 Intermediate People’s Court is responsible for hearing the administrative litigation cases with district or county governments in Beijing as the defendant, financial and insurance cases, commercial cases involving parties from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan or outside of China, cross-region environmental protection cases as well as food and drug safety cases, according to the news release of the court.

The Beijing No 4 People’s Procuratorate remains to handle railway transport cases.

Beijing currently has 14 districts and 2 counties. In the past, each district court and procuratorate was responsible for handling the cases within the district, and therefore, administrative litigation cases were easily influenced by local governments.

The communiqué released after the fourth plenary session of the 18th Communist Party of China Central Committee in October said China will establish cross-region courts and procuratorates, which is believed to reduce the interference of local governments on administrative litigation cases.