China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Saturday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on cooperation in the field of non-traditional crime issues, pressing ahead their joint efforts in combating transnational crime.

The signing of the memorandum indicated that China and ASEAN's strong willing to improve their existing cooperation in combating transnational crimes, which had posed great challenge to the region's peace and development, said Tian Qiyu, Chinese executive vice-minister of public security at a press conference Saturday afternoon.

Tian and ASEAN's Secretary General Ong Keng Rong inked the memorandum at a ceremony Saturday at the end of the one-day ASEAN plus China, Japan and South Korea ministerial meeting on combating transnational crime held in Bangkok.

The memorandum put China and ASEAN's ongoing cooperation program and workshop on combating non-traditional crimes into words and set down medium-and long-term goals for further cooperation in this field, Ong told reporters after the signing ceremony.

Non-traditional crime including terrorism, money laundry, cyber crime and international economic crime, many of which also belong to the category of transnational crime. Drug trafficking, human trafficking, sea piracy and arms smuggling were also covered by the memorandum, Ong said.

Under the memorandum, China and ASEAN would improve their joint efforts to combat non-traditional crimes through information sharing, personnel exchange and training and law-enforcement cooperation.

Ong said that terrorism and drug trafficking were high in the list of topics discussed at the ASEAN plus three meeting on combating transnational crimes, the first of its kind.

The participation by China, Japan and South Korea in the meeting had significant meaning for the region to explore a holistic, comprehensive and integrated approach to address the issue of transnational crime, said Thai Justice Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana.

Tian said that the mechanism, hailed by all parties to the meeting, would not only benefit the establishment of a security community in East Asia but also promote the region's economic development.

Trying to promote the development and peace in the region, China has worked actively with ASEAN in the field of fighting non-traditional crimes.

In 2002, China proposed an ASEAN plus three ministerial meeting on combating transnational crime at the sixth ASEAN plus three summit.

In November 2002, the two sides made a joint declaration in which the two sides were determined to strengthen their cooperation in fighting transnational crimes.

The newly-signed MOU was actually a continuous action of the joint declaration, said Tian.

In August 2003, the Chinese Public Security Ministry held a seminar on law enforcement cooperation between China and ASEAN. At the seminar held in Beijing, participants from ASEAN and China reviewed the situation of the two sides' law enforcement cooperation.

Affirming the achievements made in the field of fighting non-traditional crimes, Tian noted that it is only the beginning step of the ASEAN plus three mechanism in the security field.

(Xinhua News Agency January 11, 2004)