The organizing committee of the 22nd Congress on the Law of the World said on Monday that the event, to be held in Beijing and Shanghai this September, has so far attracted 31 foreign chief justices.

A total of 47 high-ranking judicial officials from 37 countries, including Germany, Russia, France, the UK, Canada, Australia and Japan, have confirmed that they will participate.

Sixteen of the officials are chief procurators, ministers of justice or grand justices.

The organization committee predicted that foreign participants will exceed 500 and that legal experts from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan will also attend.

The congress will focus on issues including the rule of law, international cooperation against anti-corruption, UN reforms and human rights.

The biennial event is organized by the World Jurist Association, and China held the 14th congress in Beijing in 1990.

(Xinhua News Agency June 21, 2005)