the Supreme People's Court; the higher people's courts, which sit in each province and four municipalities (ie, Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Chongqing) and are directly under the central government; the intermediate people's courts; and the basic people's courts. To improve trial quality and efficiency, specialised courts have been established since 2015. The Chinese court system has also been developing diversified methods of dispute resolution, such as mediation, and novel forms of virtual trial, such as online hearings. This article provides an overview of updates to the circuit court system implemented between 2015 and 2020. Overview Circuit courts sit directly under the Supreme People's Court and are dispatched by the Supreme People's Court to local cities outside Beijing (where the Supreme People's Court sits). Although the official Chinese media calls them 'courts' in English, their function and position are the same as those of tribunals. The establishment of circuit courts of the Supreme People's Court is an innovation of the Chinese judicial system. The primary objective is to minimise interference from local governments, especially from the administration branch, given that the circuit courts cover several provinces but are substantially operated by the Supreme People's Court from Beijing. Circuit courts hear major administrative, civil and commercial cases. The judgments and orders rendered by circuit courts are considered the same as those of the Supreme People's Court. This further illustrates the nature of circuit courts as tribunals of the Supreme People's Court rather than independent courts.