China said on Tuesday it has always attached importance to crime prevention and criminal justice and has taken the related work as part of the strategy of the national development and social administration.

The Chinese government sticks to a policy of comprehensive control of the social order, and follows a principle of cracking down on crimes as preventing criminal activities by eradicating their root cause, said Deputy Minister of Justice Wu Aiying at the annual meeting of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Vienna.

She added the Chinese government has worked to prevent crimes through political, economic, administrative, legal and educational means. She also stressed lawful punishment of criminals is a necessary and important way for crime prevention.

On the function of criminal justice, Wu said China has constantly strengthened the measures for human rights protection in both criminal legislation and justice administration.

The National People's Congress of China adopted an amendment to the Constitution in March, introducing a clause of "respecting and safeguarding human rights."

On the fight of transnational crimes, she said the Chinese government has always attached importance to international cooperation.

In a bid to establish bilateral and multilateral cooperation mechanisms, the Chinese government has signed with 42 countries 66treaties of mutual legal assistance and extradition, of which 31 treaties involve articles on criminal offenses.

Moreover, China has signed and ratified 11 anti-terrorism international conventions.

Stressing the United Nations has an important and special role in setting up the international mechanism for preventing and fighting transnational crime, Wu spoke highly of the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime and the Convention Against Corruption.

Wu also said China is ready to strengthen cooperation with other countries in crime prevention and criminal justice.

About 600 representatives from 156 countries and world organizations participated in the 10-day meeting.

Source: Xinhua