WELLINGTON, April 22 -- A New Zealand Police attach to be stationed in the south China city of Guangzhou will help improve community safety in both countries as they step up coordination in battling organized crime and the drugs trade, a senior New Zealand Police officer has said.

The attach, who will report to the New Zealand Police counselor at the embassy in Beijing, would work with the Guangdong provincial police and anti-narcotics units to maintain liaison on joint operations of interest to both countries, Superintendent Stuart Wildon, national manager of the international service group, told Xinhua.

"The police attach will establish working-level relationships with law enforcement agencies in Guangdong to increase cooperation to target narcotics crime syndicates," Wildon said in an e-mail interview.

He would also work through China's Ministry of Public Security and the Office of National Narcotics Control Commission on issues regarding the control of methamphetamine precursors, such as ContacNT, said Wildon.

Asked if the New Zealand Police were targeting known groups believed to be responsible for trafficking drugs between the two countries, Wildon said the police and the Chinese authorities would gather information that would benefit both countries.

"The operational cooperation is mutually beneficial to enhancing community safety in both countries and preventing crime, " said Wildon.

He said the authorities in both countries face similar challenges in stemming the illegal drugs trade.

"Firstly, having enough good quality information to disrupt the activity is always important; secondly, ensuring sufficient prevention information to educate people and dissuade them from committing crimes or making the mistake of getting involved in the drug trade as couriers; thirdly, making the risk of apprehension outweigh any potential reward from the trade in illicit products," he said.

New Zealand Police Minister Anne Tolley announced earlier this month that the post would be established for a two-year trial period under a bilateral Memorandum of Arrangement on precursor controls signed in April 2013.

New Zealand Customs and police staff would also travel to China to take part in targeted operations and to increase the level of engagement with Chinese enforcement agencies.