The Supreme People's Court -- or SPC -- has opened its International Maritime Judicial base in Guangzhou, the capital of China's southern Guangdong province. The chief justice and president of the SPC, Zhou Qiang, attended the launch. He said under the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, the country has become an important business hub in the Asia-Pacific region. Zhou says China should also shoulder more responsibilities in the maritime judicial field. The Guangzhou base will be a crucial platform for the SPC to participate in international maritime research and judicial cooperation.