The Third China-ASEAN Attorney Generals' Meeting started in Jakarta on Monday to strengthen their cooperation in combating transnational crimes like terrorism, corruption, money laundering as well as human and drug trafficking.

 

The ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and Chinese attorney generals should boost judicial cooperation to severely punish transnational crimes and contribute to the regional security, said Indonesian Attorney General Abdul Rahman Saleh, after inaugurating the meeting together with Jia Chunwang, Procurator-General of the Supreme People's Procuratorate of China.

 

Fruitful cooperation could be expected as the member countries of the meeting shared one purpose of safeguarding the dignity of law and maintaining the justice of society, he said at the opening ceremony of the meeting.

 

Meanwhile, Jia made some proposals for deepening exchange and cooperation, such as maintaining the exchange of high-level visits, promoting the system of public procurators' exchange of expertise and upgrading the professional quality of procurators.

 

Prior to the meeting, all participants were welcomed at the State Palace by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who emphasized the importance of regional cooperation.

 

The China-ASEAN Attorney Generals' Meeting was inaugurated by China in 2004 to bring about concerted efforts among ASEAN countries' and Chinese procuratorates to fight against transnational crimes.

 

The first meeting was held in Kunming, Yunnan Province of China, the second in Bangkok, Thailand and the fourth is to be convened in Macao, China.

 

(Xinhua News Agency August 1, 2006)