Symposium: Joint Action to Combat Transnational Crimes HailedDelegates from 25 member countries of the ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) reached a consensus in Beijing Wednesday on international cooperation and joint action to combat transnational crimes.The consensus was reached at the Symposium on ASEM Law Enforcement Organ's Cooperation in Combating Transnational Crime, which concluded here Wednesday. At a press conference after the symposium, Jia Chunwang, Minister of Public Security of China and co-chair of the symposium, said that participants all stressed that all law enforcement bodies of the ASEM members should enhance coordination to prevent and crack down on international terrorism, transnational crimes, illegal immigration as well as to severely punish "snake heads" (illegal immigration organizers). Participants also condemned the terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, voicing their resolute opposition against such terrorist violence, Jia said, noting that such incidents show once again the imperativeness and importance of international cooperation in fighting international terrorism. According to a final report of the symposium, participants agreed to enhance information exchanges, increase mutual trust and establish bilateral and multilateral cooperation mechanisms for fighting transnational crimes. Another co-chair of the symposium, Cludio Scajola, Minister of the Interior of Italy, spoke highly of the achievements of the symposium, citing the example that China and Italy will set up liaison offices in Rome and Beijing to facilitate cooperation in combating transnational crimes. According to sources with the Ministry of Public Security, about 200 delegates from 10 Asian countries and 15 European Union (EU) member countries, all ASEM member countries, attended the three-day symposium, which was co-sponsored by the Ministry of Public Security of China and the Ministry of the Interior of Italy. |
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