Judicial communication and cooperation between China and Southeast Asian countries will help contribute to social security and economic prosperity in the region, judges at a legal forum said on Tuesday.

With the establishment of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area in 2002, business disputes and cross-border crimes, such as drug trafficking and smuggling, have been increasing, Zhou Qiang, president of China's top court, said at the opening ceremony of the China-ASEAN Justice Forum. This presents challenges for justice in these countries and also highlights the role of judicial cooperation, Zhou said.

The forum, held in Nanning in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, attractedabout 100 judicial officers, including presidents and chief judges, from Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia.