The top judicial bodies from China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are expanding exchange and training programs to help judges in the region more effectively handle trade issues.

He Rong, vice-president of China's Supreme People's Court, said at a forum on Wednesday in Nanning, the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, that judges from both China and ASEAN member countries want to learn about the different trade regulations of each country. Familiarity with them, He said, would help judges better handle disputes in the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area.

Increased communication among judges in the region will generate more judicial cooperation, she added.