China, US to Further Cooperate in Cracking Down on DrugsChina and the United States Monday pledged to further cooperate in cracking down on drugs. Barry McCaffrey, director of the US White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, told a press conference that China has been an important partner in the establishment of worldwide anti-drug agency.McCaffrey is leading a delegation of representatives from all principal anti-drug agencies in the US McCaffrey visited a forensic laboratory at the Chinese Ministry of Public Security, and discussed with Chinese drug-policy officials cooperation with enforcement institutions. "I am here to listen and learn," he said, adding that both countries face common drug problems, especially heroin and methamphetamine. McCaffrey said he took part in an extremely useful conference chaired by Vice Minister Bai Jingfu of Chinese Ministry of Public Security, who is also deputy director of China's National Narcotics Control Commission. He also discussed drug issues with Chinese Foreign Ministry officials. The two countries also signed an agreement on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters earlier today, which will allow them to begin sharing drug-related evidence and information, according to the U.S. drug official. The two sides also discussed the need to coordinate analyzing drug signatures as well as the possible cooperation between FBI and Chinese authorities, he said. Yang Fengrui, director general of Narcotics Control Bureau of Chinese Ministry of Public Security, told the briefing that the two countries signed a memo on anti-drug cooperation in 1987. Ten years later, the two countries also signed a statement calling for cooperation in fighting against drug-related crimes. The U.S. delegation will also visit to Kunming and Hong Kong. |
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